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The Weight of an Opinion
The strength of a point of view largely depends on the opinion giver.
At 30 years old, Stephen was what you would call a “late bloomer”, in that he was still stuck in his partying 20s. While most people his age were growing professionally and were moving into the next phases of their lives, Stephen lived in the here and now, and eventually found out that being a waiter at the Macaroni Grill was detrimental to his dating life.
“Guys, I got this girl’s phone number the other day,” Stephen explained. “When I call her and she asks what I do, instead of telling her I’m a waiter, should I tell her that I’m a corporate trainer for the Romano Corporation?”
I chimed in. “I wouldn’t. Glorifying this position is like putting lipstick on a pig. Bottom line, you’re still a waiter. And believe me, she probably already knows. ”
Stephen furrowed his brow, not wanting to hear this. But I tried to come up with a better idea that might be appealing to him.
“Instead, come at it from a different angle. Put yourself in the best possible position.”
“How?” he asked.
“Well, explain that you’ve been getting your life together, so you’re going back to school, and while you’re doing that, you’re waiting tables. She’ll appreciate…
