I’ve made it. I’ve arrived. I’ve gotten to the elusive “success” point.
As an entrepreneur this is the dream right to make to the Shark Tank room?
Oh wait.
I guess I made it to the wrong one.
Or did I?
When we made it to the shark tank room, at the aquarium my friend pitched me an interesting question.
“Do we think everyone in the tank likes each other?”
My response came quick, and without a filter as they usually do “I doubt it, even when humans are in the same room someone doesn’t like someone.”
The moment I said it, I realized how rarely we acknowledge this simple truth.
We're conditioned to believe that professional spaces require universal harmony, that success means getting along with everyone, and that admission of interpersonal friction somehow indicates failure.
But what if we're looking at it all wrong?
Society sells us the idea that with enough emotional intelligence, communication skills, and professional polish, we should be able to connect meaningfully with everyone we encounter.
Business books tell us to network widely, find common ground with anyone, and cultivate relationships in every direction.
This advice isn't entirely wrong, but it misses something fundamental about human nature: we are wonderfully, messily unique.
Our personalities, values, communication styles, senses of humor, and worldviews are as diverse as our fingerprints.
Because spoiler our life experiences have not been the same.
Let's be real—the odds of everyone in a room genuinely vibing with each other? Pretty much zero. It just doesn't happen that way in life.
And maybe true maturity in work and life isn't pretending to like everyone equally, but instead:
Treating everyone with consistent respect regardless of personal affinity.
Finding productive ways to collaborate despite personality differences.
Being honest with ourselves about relationship dynamics without creating unnecessary drama.
Accepting that chemistry can't be forced and some connections will just never happen personally or professionally.
So the next time you're in a room – whether it's a meeting room, a zoom room, a networking event, or your own version of the "Shark Tank" – remember that you aren’t going to like to like everyone, and not everyone is going to like you.
This isn't cynical; it's nothing personal, it's just being realistic.
And also the unfollow and unsubscribe buttons exist virtually and IRL for a reason- use them accordingly for your mental health.