For 2025 — You Are Fighting Mindsets, Not People

“I am sorry,” Ella screamed, banging the wooden table with her fist. “This is the end of the line for me!” Her eyes swayed to her group of eight friends/investors to her right. “I don’t like this, and we don’t want to be a part of it.”

She rose to leave, and two of them followed her.

She swung around in anger at the three that stayed.

“What are you, traitors!” she shot back.

“I got this!” Maxine, one of the three, said. “We have been friends for years before we went into business more than ten years ago and have been at this before. We argue, find a solution, and everyone still wins,” Maxine recalls.

“I have reached the end of the line. I want nothing to do with any of you anymore. I am removing myself and my finances from all of this for good. We are done being business partners and friends!” Ella fired. “Plus, I bought you three into this. You are supposed to be on my side, not theirs!” she points out.

“So, we aren’t supposed to have our own ideas and opinions?” Maxine demands, her head swaying to look at the others. Who nodded in support for her.

“We are supposed to unite!”

“Even if we think you are wrong?” Maxine demands. “It’s our money too. And we have a say. We think you are wrong!”

“I don’t think I am. So, I want out!” she informs.

Maxine’s eye dropped to the other two across the table, who nodded in support of Ella.

“I am staying,” Maxine informed her.

“Then this friendship is over,” she shouts, her eyes swayed to the other two, who nodded in support of Maxine. “So, I am now the enemy?” she demands.

“You are going to destroy more than twenty years of friendship and ten years of partnership because we don’t agree with your way of thinking?” Maxine demands.

“You are fighting me now?” Ella’s disappointment states.

“No,” Maxine answered, glaring at her in frustration. “I am fighting your mindset. I am fighting your way of thinking. For most of the ten years we have been in business, all we have been fighting here are mindsets. Not people!”

Silence spoke as five of eight investors absorbed her wisdom.

She added, “All of us think differently, and whenever we meet for business, we argue a lot but still remain friends. Cruelty, thoughtlessness, and resentment aren’t a part of it because all we are fighting here is our difference in thinking. We all have the same aim and goal, and it’s about the money we invest. Now you are turning it into something more!”

“What am I turning it in?” Ella demands.

“Hatred! That’s what you are showing. Your decision says you are no longer fighting mindsets. You are taking our decision to disagree with you and standing up for ourselves personally. Do you think if you walk away, you will still win?”

“It’s 2025,” she reminds them. “I must change to better me!”

“What if you are wrong, and our decision reaps the reward we hoped for?” Maxine’s words stopped her in her tracks halfway at the door.

“That’s a risk I am willing to take!” she threw back in defiance.

“I am the genie, and your wish is granted!” Maxine said, turning to Paul and instructing, “Send our investment through!”

Ten days later, as six of the remaining investors meet, a knock at the door interrupted their victory meeting.

Six pairs of eyes stared at Ella as she entered. Before she spoke, Maxine read her emotion and said, “Sorry, but we can’t take you back. We want investors who know they are only fighting mindsets, not people!”

“But I lost everything because I didn’t go in with you,” she pleaded.

“We can’t have investors taking our actions personally then reacting without thinking. Our differences in thinking are lessons, not punishment!”

“I am sorry,” she apologized.

“As kids, your grandmother was the one who warned us not to allow our personal feelings to get in the way of what makes sense or what is right. She demands that common sense should prevail. She also said, ‘Friendships are gifts that should be nurtured.’ You forgot, ah?” Maxine reminds her.

“Yes,” she admits. “I should have pushed my personal feelings aside and found the common ground to understand and unite.”

“What do you want from us?” Maxine demands.

“Forgiveness,” She said.

“And,” Maxine asked.

“A second chance,” she begged easing closer.

Maxine nods turning to the others, “the decision isn’t mine only!”

Many people are unaware that certain fights we have with humans involve fighting their mindsets. We are fighting how they think. We are not fighting the individual; we are fighting their way of thinking.

For 2025, be aware that many of the people you are fighting, you are only at war with their mindset or thinking. Not them. Please don’t take their difference in thinking personally and allow good friendships to be destroyed.

If your heart could speak, what would it say?

Our differences in thinking are sometimes the best part of us and are lessons. It shouldn’t be used to punish us!

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.