All my friends are crazy about a good life.
I thought this is the best part: they are like me.
The sad part is you will find everyone in this world like them. All of them wants to have a good life.
But I don’t see them working. They don‘t make time for working on inputs that will give them the life they desire to create on their own. They say stuff. They linger on something for very long. But I never see them start their steps towards what they want.
They want to sort their life and make “stuffs“ in order before they start taking action. This, I understand. So there’s not so much to complain.
They want to run a business (startup) to earn enough money to be financially free, and help as many people as possible.
But I am worried they will take forever to reach where they desire.
I already run businesses (startups) for more than 4 years—mine, as well as someone else’s.
If I am going to include them with me in the businesses I run, so they learn, they will. But then they consider I am trying to be bossy, when in reality I am trying my best for them to take on as many interesting stuff they can so they learn a whole package that is required to run a business. And I am making them face the real tragedy of running a business.
This is power dynamics in action.
Power dynamics is the dynamics of power regulation in a relationship. In a friendship, usually it’s neutral. But it can be increased on a mild level through stuffs that increase the lever. You can increase the lever by knowing about someone more than they know about you. Or by giving then someone that they need, example a loan.
But in a friendship, there is no submission. Submission is the act of blindly going with the flow with a person because you know the other person has your best interest at heart.
Friendship is run by a little bit of jealousy and a lot of love.
There is love when we are on the same page, when are the members of the same group—friends, when we are us.
But then there is a little bit of jealousy when us becomes I in disguise, through acts that are soliditary, such as “if you are running the business, only you are the owner and if only you are the owner, technically you are my boss if I work as you say because I want to learn as most as I can”
You can avoid this in two ways:
1. never work in business with your friend.
2. never work with your friend.
Because a friendship has low acceptance rate of a mentor-mentee.
Power dynamics are like a dance, with each partner influencing the other's moves. But when one partner becomes too dominant, the dance becomes a struggle, and both lose the rhythm of the music.
Yeah, what you said is kinda off a harsh truth, but then an essential one. But!! There could be one possiblity to start a business with your friend. If you both can know your core strengths in respective fields of operation in the business environment. And can respect each other's decisions and trust him/her, with 0% in ego.
You could just start the business and you both can learn as they progress. As no one knows 100 % or can take 100% right decision every single time. But valuing what they did and appreciating each other's efforts, can take this relationship from friendship to something. Remember giving a loan or taking a loan, does not make the person giving superior or person receiving inferior, unless the person giving acts that way or you that way.