40 Years Psychologically Unemployable™

On Halloween, 1978, I opened an office, “put up a shingle” (hung my insurance license on the wall) and declared myself psychologically unemployable.

Now, 40 years and 100,000 self-employed hours later, I’m blinking my eyes and wondering… where did the time go?

In the summer of ’78 I started my post college career by making 5,000 cold calls in the garment district of Manhattan. I didn’t make a single sale. At night I was studying for my insurance license and meeting people to build my own business on the side.

I got up at 6 to go into my day job in Manhattan, and left the city at 4 to start my night job making house calls. I worked Saturdays and studied on Sundays.

Little did I know that my next decision would be the start of a 40-year journey that would take me to five countries and 42 states; that I would speak 3,500 times to a million people from 40 countries; and I would teach classes at Harvard, Notre Dame and NYU… doing what I love most to do.

It’s been a blessed journey beyond anything I could have imagined when I was sweating like a beast in my 3-piece suit, walking up and down the skyscrapers of New York.

The number of people I have to thank would fill an auditorium.

I started working at 15 in the Mill Road Sweet Shop, a local luncheonette. I was cooking and serving breakfast and lunch over a counter and to a handful of tables in the back. I earned $1.50/hour plus tips.

Those nickels, dimes and quarters helped pay for college.

One day a customer started raving out loud about how good his breakfast was and how terrific my service was. He waved me over, looked me square in the eye, grabbed my hand and stuffed a dollar bill in it.

It was my first $1 tip.

Then he said three words that changed my self-perception forever:

“You’re worth it!”

Nobody ever said that to me before.

How often in your life has someone said to you, “You’re worth it?”

Do you tell your family, kids and loved ones, “You’re worth it?”

Those words deeply impacted me. That experience shifted and shaped my life, and from it emerged a life mantra I’ve been chanting ever since:

“I love and serve people, and they reward me with their money!”

Through thick and thin, good times and bad, wins and losses, wealth and bankruptcy, elation and disappointment, successes and setbacks, exhilaration and heartbreak, I could always rely on loving and serving people to rebound, reboot and reignite.

I’ve sold a lot of products and services, and advocated for all kinds of issues and causes.

The heart and soul of my work is always sourced in loving and serving people.

So it is today as it was 40 years ago.

For the past few years I’ve spent much of my time tending to family matters and family members. Being more outside the game than inside, people ask me where I’ve been and if I’m retired. I laugh because one of my mantras is:

“Don’t think retirement… think Re-Hirement™!”

Creativity doesn’t retire.
Curiosity doesn’t retire.
Collaboration doesn’t retire.
Consciousness doesn’t retire.
Compassion doesn’t retire.
Conversation doesn’t retire.
Contribution doesn’t retire.

I’m still creative, curious and collaborative, conscious and compassionate, eager to have meaningful conversations and make a contribution.

I want to continue to honor and live up to the words of one of my early mentors and long time friend Brian Tracy who said…

“Mitch Axelrod has boosted more men and women into the ranks of the top 10% than almost any trainer alive today.”

I’m proud and deeply gratified that my work has had an impact on people from all walks of life. As I re-emerge I ask…

How can I love and serve you and/or those you love and serve?

I appreciate you taking the time to read this. The gifts below are some of my favorite and most well received pieces of work. It’s my thank you for being in my life.

I just added the link to a private interview I did that can make a meaningful, significant and immediate contribution to you if your work involves “making rain” for your company or yourself (revenue, sales, profit, etc.).

Reach out if you’d like to talk. I’m happy to explore possibilities or just catch up on life.

Here’s to the next 40!

Warmly,

Mitch
mitch@thenewgame.com

P.S. Here are 40th anniversary gifts you can put to good use.