Alex Bodnar: You know there’s one thing I don’t like about the, that uh “Think and Grow Rich” book. (What?) It’s the idea that it plants a seed in the minds of some people uh, well of of salesmen in particular or salespeople, that I got togot to is often pronounced as 'gotta'. It means 'to have to' or 'to need to'. (0:18) do whatever it takes to get my goal. Right? And and uh (Hmm) I could just picture a salesperson trying to make a sales pitch and and sell whatever. It could be uh, electronics goods or or uhlife insurance, or anything like that and they keep talking and talking and talking at you uh and try to wear you down because uh damn it, their their mission is to (exactly) get their goal and uh and it doesn’t matter if they step on anyone else uh, in the process.

José Cruz: I, I think you’ve hit onyou’ve hit on a good point means 'you've made a good point. (0:54) a good point there. Uh books like this and and a lot of self-help books that say that, “Oh, you’ve got to make yourself number one. You’ve got to put yourself at the front of the pack,” creates for a very selfish way of thinking if it’s not tempered with stuff that you know, at least I take for granted: that you’re a compassionate person. You’re empathic to the people that are around you and you don’t trample on others to get your goal.

Alex: Yeah. Yeah. And I’m not saying that I I hate uh salesmen per se‘Per se’ is a latin term with the meaning of ‘according to the term,’ or, ‘strictly speaking’. In this sentence. Alex means he doesn’t hate salesmen just because they’re salesmen, and then he goes on to explain what he means in detail. (1:23). Uh but uh sometimes, It’s just, I I know I’m going to get a pitch, and I have to devote uh uhh some time to listening. And uh it’s like OK here we go. Uh I know at the end I’m going to say “no” (Mm-hmm) but. OK I’ll humour you for a couple of minutes and…

José: Well, you give them a lot more time than I do. If I know that I’m eventually going to say “no,” I try to cut them off as soon as I can and I say, “Listen. You’re not going get anywhere with me. You’re you’re wasting your time, and you’re wasting my time. I’m not going to buy your your your idea or your product,” rightAlex and José often say ‘right?’ at the end of their sentences, as a colloquial way of seeking rhetorical confirmation. While many people often do this, much like ‘you know’ it is not considered a very good speaking habit. (2:00)?

But just getting back to the idea about um, how this can be applied to life, let’s say you are empathic of others and you’re compassionate and you don’t trample over people, the message itself- the the message itself is still fairly strong. Uh (Yeah) the idea that you, you know, you do this on a, on a- not as a as a get-rich quick scheme (Mm-hmm) um but you just change the way you think about yourself and your life, your life goals. A lot of people still, they wish for their “accompli-mentswhen you know you made a mistake, the best thing to do is without stopping, apologize, and try again, as José does here. (2:33).” Uh sorry, they wish for their accomplishments and they don’t actually plan them out. They don’t create goals to accompany their wishes.

Alex: Yeah it’s easier said than done. Uh yeah. You do need a goal.

José: Yeah yeah. Well I I like to tell my students, that um you know, um uh uh a goal without a plan or a schedule you could go either way, it’s more powerful if you you use just one word. A goal without a plan is simply a wish. You can wish for all kinds of things, but you you have to actually start putting it into action, and then fee- you know, checking yourself for feedback, and knowing what you’re going to do, and becoming rich is just another goal (True. Yes). And if you if you learn another language, if you end up running that marathon. Uh, you, you you proved yourself that there’s pretty much nothing beyond your grasp.

Alex: That’s right. In that case, you will be unstoppable.

José: Uh and I think a lot of people just have in themselves. I just wish they could see it.