Transactional vs. Relational

Which one are you? Do you have relationships with people for what you do with them, or for who they are? A hard distinction sometimes, but here's an example: say you have a friend that you play golf with. But that's all you do with them, play golf. One day you break your arm, and don't play for months. No phone call, no contact. Transactional.

Or say you go to the corner store everyday, and chat to the storekeeper, who you see more often than your friends and family. Then one day you see them on the street. He doesn't greet you, and awkardly you don't acknowledge him either. Transactional.

On the flip side, your childhood best friend who you talk to on birthdays and Christmas, if that, turns up at your doorstep. He's like your brother, and regardless of the fact that you hardly see him anymore, the bonds are as strong as ever. Relational.

So the question is, are you transactional or relational in your interactions with people, your friendships. I believe we are created for relational connections, but the world has conditioned us to be transactional people. Food for thought.

Haven't quite decided the next topic, but I'm sure it will come to me. Thanks for reading.

Think of the exit, before the entry

Well this is all common sense, but I thought it would be interesting for some. I had a previous career as an equity derivatives trader. Without delving into the minutae of what that is, basically in 10 years I had to buy and sell 1 million things. Sounds impossible but it's true. One of the basic tenets of investing is to determine your upside target, and your downside limit. In life, "it's not how you start, it's how you end". Though this is just another way to say, "set goals", it actually helps you determine what you are going to do, by thinking of the results or consequences of your desired course of action. I recently invested into the company where I now work, and the "exit" was what convinced me to "enter". In marriage, if the exit is regarded as divorce, then what's the point of getting married? It really should be until death do us part. Getting to heaven, the ultimate exit, is determined by a decision to commit your life to Christ for example, which is your entry......and so on. I think you get the point.

Next time " transactional vs. relational".