fbpx
Bank Your Knowledge

"Learn. Learn. Learn. The greatest competitive advantage for an entrepreneur is knowledge."

– Mark Cuban, billionaire, Shark Tank

Home

Back to start

START HERE

KNOWLEDGE PROFIT

Tamela’s Tips

Short & Sweet

TOOLS

Products I Love

BLOG

GET THE LATEST

My STORY

WHO IS TAMELA?

After Years of Deceit, Lies & Betrayal, I Rebuilt Trust (Slowly)

Michael Graham

SHARING IS CARING

It wasn’t easy to rebuild trust in my relationships because the problem started pretty early.  Actually, it was sixth grade.  I found a big grocery bag in a locker at school in the PE room.  I knew what it was and I was curious.  So, I emptied out my mom’s cigarettes and put the marijuana in it.

But I didn’t get high, so I decided to sell it for $20.00.  The person who bought it was my friend’s brother and after he bought it, he showed me how to roll it.  This time, I did get high.

After that, “high” was a constant state.

Then my parents found out.  Boy, were they disappointed in me.  I had let them down and not honored their trust in me to make good decisions.  My Dad kicked my butt and confronted my friend who had given it to me.  Mom was in the house crying.

My Personal Core Values Disappeared

But smoking pot was the entrance into “The Crowd.”  By 16, I was doing cocaine.  And by 25, I was doing crack cocaine.  I got addicted on the first try.  It was overwhelming.  This went on until I was 35.

At 20, I started embezzling.  I started at a store where I was good friends with the manager.  She trusted me, but I let her down.  I felt so bad because she was a friend.  But I was letting people down all the time.

I shoplifted every day to keep my habit going.  I knew exactly what items to shoplift that I could sell for drugs.

One problem with being so dishonest and untrustworthy all the time was the accumulated criminal charges.  I had 40 or more charges pending and plenty of warrants out for my arrest

How I Finally Got Unstuck

I had gone through 7 or 8 rehab programs before Victory Outreach, where I finally got clean.

Detox took 3 weeks.  “It was the worse 3 weeks of my life.”  Needless to say, “clean” was not an easy road either.  It wasn’t easy finding a job with nothing but dishonesty, lies, and betrayal in my past.

Alpine Creek Market was a grocery store who gave me a chance.  The store knew my background when they hired me.  I was very open and upfront with them.  I was hired as the night janitor, but it wasn’t enough hours.

I was working just twice a week.  Eventually, I asked the store manager if I could get some extra hours so I also worked Load Crew–stocking shelves at night to get extra hours.

De-Hydrated Water and Shaken Salad Dressing

Even though that was true, I can’t say I wasn’t above a few practical jokes.  The first week of New Hires was often subjected to a few initiation rites.

I would tell them to go stock the dehydrated water.  The new recruit would then go ask the manager where the dehydrated water was.

I would say, “We want the salad dressing to look presentable to the customer.  Go shake the salad dressings on Aisle 7.”  The new recruit would be in the aisle shaking salad dressing with both hands, while another person and I would be falling over laughing in the freezer.

I Had Earned Self-Confidence

After two years, they told me they considered me the best Receiver they had ever had.   The store owner even came in to say it to me directly.  I got three awards for “Employee of the Month,” $100.00 for each one, a Playstation, a camera, and a 100.00 lunch.  After another two years, they made me front-end manger and shift manager where I was over money and lottery tickets.

I’ve been clean now for ten years.  Now my Dad says, “Michael, log into my bank account and tell me how much I have.”  He never did that when I was using.  Now he gives me the keys to his shop–which has thousands of dollars of equipment.  He never did that when I was using.

Trust Yourself and Others Can Trust You

Now I trust myself.  My brothers trust me.  They leave their wallets and money out.  They let me take their kids.  And now my Mom trusts me with anything.

After I had been clean for two years, Mom saw that I was punctual with the rent for the apartment I was renting from her, that I had a consistent job, and that I was never sick or late.  Slowly, day-by-day, I earned her respect and trust.

Trust means being reliable, consistent, and honest.  The definition of trust includes “believing in the strength of someone or something.”  I finally earned that.

How to Get Motivated:  Cherish Trust

Without a doubt, trust was my greatest motivator.  That grocery store job was the first time I had ever been trusted and that was the greatest gift anyone had ever given me.  You don’t realize how valuable trust is until you don’t have it. 

There is no greater gift than to ultimately be worthy of trust and have someone extend it to you.

SHARING IS CARING

0 Comments

CREATE A PROFITABLE COURSE

(Using Knowledge You Already Have)

    PURPOSE: Follow Your Fit™

    Choose Your 3 Core Values and Practice Them Like Ben Franklin

    Consciously Define Your 3 Core Values & Consciously Practice Them Groucho Marx, the famed comedian said, “Those are my principles and if you don’t like them…well, I have others.” The reason that’s funny is because principles are bedrock values—ones that you live...

    PUNISHED FOR YOUR STRENGTHS at Work? 5 Ways to Follow Your Fit™

    Albert Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”  This is the Science of Fit™. We are often punished for our strengths when we are in an environment that...

    HOW TO FIND YOUR CALLING FROM GOD: 7 Truths about Your Purpose

    One of the most challenging, but also one of the most important things, we will ever do as believers who strive to follow God’s will is to discern His calling or purpose on our lives. How do we know what God has planned for us? What if we make the wrong choices? Will...

    CAREER CHANGE AT 40: 4 Famous Case Studies That Prove You Can Do It

    Making a career change at 40 can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right attitude and support, you can make a successful transition to a new field. First, understand the reasons why you’re making the change. Are you bored, burned out, or are you...

    PROFIT: Bank Your Course™

    Your Business Growth Plan (How the Magic 10:1 Ratio Works)

    After over twenty years of owning my own business, I will share with you the Magic 10:1 Ratio I wish I had understood when I started my business. Your Growth Plan:  10-1 Ratio When asked how I started my business, I joke that I started my business on faith,...

    PUNISHED FOR YOUR STRENGTHS at Work? 5 Ways to Follow Your Fit™

    Albert Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”  This is the Science of Fit™. We are often punished for our strengths when we are in an environment that...

    12 TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE You Need to Create Your Course

    Did you know that having the right knowledge can dramatically impact your success and your income? There are 12 types of knowledge and each one matters. Having the right kind of knowledge can help you create an engaging course that would ensure the success of both the...

    Use Your EXPERT POWER to 10x Your Consulting & Course Fees

    Influence and Income are Only Two of the Advantages of Expert Power Today’s top digital content course creators, like Sherpas, help others reach incredible heights.   You can make a big difference in people's lives Sherpas are trusted guides and guides for the climb...

    8 Ideal Traits of an Epic Instructor Who Loves to Teach

    Most of us, somewhere in our lifetime, has been the recipient of great teaching and have sat under the tutelage of a great instructor.  Today Lifelong Learning is a must.  Everyone in every professional community will be asked at some time to fill one or both...

    PUBLICITY: Multiply Your Markets™

    Choose Your 3 Core Values and Practice Them Like Ben Franklin

    Consciously Define Your 3 Core Values & Consciously Practice Them Groucho Marx, the famed comedian said, “Those are my principles and if you don’t like them…well, I have others.” The reason that’s funny is because principles are bedrock values—ones that you live...

    FACE YOUR FEARS: 4 Key Ways to Be Set Free (& Stay That Way)

      Facing Your Fears can be the most liberating choice you ever make. Kathy Kliner was attacked in the Chi Omega house by Ted Bundy.  She was one of the ones who survived.  She said "After I got attacked, I was afraid of men.  It was something that I didn't want...

    The Persuasive POWER OF WORDS: 10 Hacks to Be a Powerful Word Ninja

    Mark Twain said the difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.  I wish my Mom and I had known Mr. Twain.  I think he could have helped us.   It was the 1960s.  My mother was trying to...

    Categories