Are You Afraid of Success?

 Welcome to the next Solo Saturday! I'm here for you solo cleaners. Have you enjoyed these bonus episodes just for you? We're just coming off the Christmas Season, New Year's, and now we're hard at work setting 2022 goals. I want to share a scene from one of my favorite movies, "It's a Wonderful Life". This scene is a turning point in George Bailey's life as he decides to follow his calling into the great unknown to help people rather than bowing to the almighty dollar that Mr. Potter was offering. See if you recognize this scene. I'll act it out! 

[Quite a cigar, Mr. Potter.

You like it? I'll send you a box.

Well, I, uh, I suppose I'll find out sooner or later, but just what exactly did you want to see me about?

George, now that's just what I like so much about you. George, I'm an old man, and most people hate me. But I don't like them, either, so that that makes it all even.You know, just as well as I do, that I run practically everything in this town but the Bailey Building and Loan. You know, also, that for a number of years I've been trying to get control of it or kill it. But I haven't been able to do it. You have been stopping me. In fact, you have beaten me, George, and as anyone in this county can tell you, that takes some doing. Take during the depression, for instance. You and I were the only ones that kept our heads. You saved the Building and Loan, I saved all the rest.

Yeah. Well, most people say you stole all the rest.

The envious ones say that, George, the suckers. Now, I have stated my side very frankly. Now, let's look at your side. Young man, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, married, making say...forty a week.

Forty-five!

Forty-five. Forty-five. Out of which, after supporting your mother and paying your bills, you're able to keep, say ten, if you skimp. A child or two comes along, and you won't even be able to save the ten. Now, if this young man of twenty-eight was a common, ordinary yokel, I'd say he was doing fine. But, George Bailey is not a common, ordinary yokel. He's an intelligent, smart, ambitious young man, who hates his job, who hates the Building and Loan, almost as much as I do. A young man who's been dying to get out on his own ever since he was born. A young man...the smartest one of the crowd, mind you, a young man who has to sit by and watch his friends go places, because he's trapped. Yes, sir, trapped into frittering his life away playing nursemaid to a lot of garlic-eaters. Do I paint a correct picture, or do I exaggerate?

Oh, what's your point, Mr. Potter?

My point? My point is, I want to hire you.

Hire me?

I want you to manage my affairs, run my properties. George, I'll start you out at twenty thousand dollars a year. Twenty thous...

twenty thousand dollars a year?

You wouldn't mind living in the nicest house in town, buying your wife a lot of fine clothes, a couple of business trips to New York a year, maybe once in a while Europe. You wouldn't mind that, would you, George?

Would I? Y-You're not talking to somebody else around here, are you? you know, th-this is me, you remember me? George Bailey.

Oh, yes, George Bailey. Whose ship has just come in, provided he has enough brains to climb aboard.

Holy mackerel! Well, how about the Building and Loan?

Oh, confound it, man! Are you afraid of success? I'm offering you a three-year contract at twenty thousand dollars a year, starting today. Is it a deal, or isn't it?

Read the rest of this article at the Smart Cleaning School website