The email below got more responses than any other email I’ve ever written.
It’s quite personal. And sad.
It’s about the day my mom called me a scammer (true story).
If you’ve ever had the people closest to you NOT believe in you as an entrepreneur, you’ll probably relate to this.
——-
“You’re just scamming people on the internet for money”
I remember exactly where I was when my mom said these words to me.
I had just graduated from college at Ohio State.
And I was living off campus with 4 of my friends in a crumby, apartment that I paid $250 a month for.
My room was basically a closet that had been converted into a bedroom for me.
It wasn’t much, but I was scraping by…
At the time, I was making affiliate review pages on sites like Squidoo.
One month I’d make 1500 bucks…
The next I’d make 2000.
I was able to pay my bills and not have to get a real job, so I was happy.
However, my mother didn’t see it that way.
She wanted me to get a real job.
She saw my friends taking jobs at law firms, accounting firms and couldn’t handle the fact that I didn’t have a prestigious job that she could brag about.
In her eyes, I was basically a bum who was going nowhere.
But more importantly, she thought me not having a big, prestigious job reflected poorly on her.
So there was a lot of resentment there…
And that resentment between the two of us had been boiling up for months.
Until one day it finally exploded…
I was sitting in my living room talking to her on the phone and she was nagging me non-stop about getting a real job.
I told her I wasn’t gonna do that.
“I really think I can make this affiliate thing work.” I said. “And if worst comes to worst, I’ll get a job bartending and do this stuff during the day”
I thought it seemed like a good plan.
But she wasn’t having any of it.
She started to guilt-trip me by saying her and my dad worked so hard to send me to college, and now I was wasting it all.
“Your dad works 12 hours a day in the 90 degree heat for you, and this is what you’re doing?”
After she laid on the heavy gult trip, her sadness started to turn to anger…
And that’s when she blurted out a line that I still remember nearly 10 years later…
“You’re just scamming people on the internet for money!”
“What are you talking about?” I replied.
“I know what you’re doing, the affiliate stuff. You’re just scamming people for money. It’s disgusting, and you should be ashamed of yourself.”
I felt like a knife had been twisted into my back.
This was my own mother…
…the person that’s supposed to be supporting me and encouraging me…
And now she’s calling me a scammer.
After she said that, I instantly went into a fit of anger.
I couldn’t hold back anymore…
“Fuck you, don’t fucking talk to me” I yelled as I hung up the phone.
I stormed out of my apartment, and slammed the door on the way out.
For the next hour I walked around campus, trying to calm myself down.
I was steaming.
Tears were coming down my face.
I felt like I was trying so hard to “make it” and here my mom was just shitting all over me.
This happened nearly 10 years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.
I remember the silver flip-phone I was talking to her on.
I remember the big cushy chair that I was sitting on in our dimly lit, living room when I was talking to her.
I remember it all.
And I still have a lot of anger towards my mom.
Now-a-days, she likes to brag about me and my success to her friends…
But I still remember all the times she wasn’t there for me.
And especially the time she called me a scammer.
And there’s a reason I wanted to share this story with you…
It’s because this is not uncommon with people that are close to you.
I’ve learned over the years that sometimes the people closest to you, will be the most discouraging of all.
That could be your parents, your spouse, your friends…whoever.
The people closest to you usually have a hard time seeing you for anything other than what you are right now.
They don’t believe you can be something more.
And if they’re discouraging you or trying to hold you back, just know that’s normal.
I’ve dealt with it with my mother all my life.
And I’ve finally come to understand that’s just who she is.
It really has nothing to do with me.
She does it to everyone.
Anyways…
If you’ve ever had someone close to you not believe in you as an entrepreneur…
Or a copywriter…
Just know I’m right there with you.
Take care and enjoy your Friday…
– Justin
If you want to hear more from Justin, he has a private email list for top marketers, copywriters and business owners. To apply to be on the email list simply click the button below that says “apply now”.
