Business By Hormozi #281: Why You Aren’t More Important Than Their Goals

The Reality of Friendship and Business

Sarah had always been the kind of person who valued immediacy. When she sent a message or an email, she expected a quick response, especially from her friends. After all, she was working hard, hustling every day, and her needs were important.

But then, something happened that made Sarah take a step back and rethink her approach. She noticed that her friends—many of whom were very successful—had a different attitude toward communication. They didn’t rush to reply. They took their time. They didn’t drop everything for a text or an email.

At first, Sarah was frustrated. "How could they not prioritize me? Don’t they know how important I am to their lives?" she thought.

But what Sarah didn’t realize was that her friends weren’t ignoring her—they were prioritizing their own goals. And in doing so, they were teaching her a lesson that would change everything.

The Wake-Up Call

One evening, Sarah caught up with Mark, one of her most successful friends. Mark was known for his impressive career, his dedication, and the way he always managed to balance work, life, and friendships. Sarah, eager to share her thoughts, asked him about his approach to emails and messages.

“Mark,” she said, “why don’t you respond right away when I text you? I get that you’re busy, but I thought we were close.”

Mark smiled knowingly. “Sarah, I value our friendship, but I also value my time. My goals, my work, my focus—they come first. And if you’re expecting an immediate response, you’re assuming that your needs are more important than my goals. That’s not how I operate.”

The words hit Sarah hard. She had never thought of it like that. To Mark, responding immediately wasn’t about disrespecting their friendship. It was about respecting his own priorities. He wasn’t dismissing Sarah; he was simply balancing his commitments.

Shifting Perspectives

From that moment, Sarah took a hard look at her own behavior. She realized that in many ways, she had been expecting instant gratification from her friends, assuming that their priorities should revolve around hers. But now, she understood that true friendship meant respecting each other’s time and goals.

Sarah began to apply this new perspective in her own life and business. She stopped expecting immediate responses from others and focused more on managing her own priorities. The change wasn’t easy at first. It required patience and a new level of understanding. But over time, Sarah noticed something surprising: her relationships became stronger.

The more she respected her friends' time, the more they respected hers. She learned that in successful relationships, mutual respect was key—respect for each other’s goals, ambitions, and boundaries.

The Lesson Learned

Eventually, Sarah’s business grew, and so did her understanding of what it meant to be both a successful entrepreneur and a good friend. She realized that true success came from respecting others’ priorities and goals, just as she expected her friends to respect hers.

The old mindset of expecting immediate responses faded. Instead, Sarah focused on building her goals without the pressure of needing instant gratification. And in doing so, she built even stronger friendships.

Moral: "To expect an immediate response is to assume that you are more important than their goals. Which, if you do, you won’t stay friends for long."