Story time:
Gatekeeping Isn’t the Problem—Perception Is.
I was at the cigar lounge having a conversation with some guys all older than me, chopping it up about strategies that could help them make and save more money. One of them was locked in, fully engaged, breaking things down while I expanded on his points, adding insights of my own. The other gentlemen, though? They barely acknowledged me—like I wasn’t even part of the conversation.
Fast forward to the end of our discussion, and suddenly, one of them pipes up:
“Man, I’d pay great money for that information! Who’s your mentor? Who can I talk to?”
The first guy looks at him and says, “My mentor is Stone.”
“Well, who’s Stone? I’d pay him for his time!”
And that’s when the first guy hit him with the reality check:
“Stone’s been sitting right here talking to you the whole time while pointing at me.”
The room got quiet.
Here’s the thing—information isn’t gatekept. It’s ignored when it doesn’t come from the source someone expects it to come from. The same knowledge he was willing to pay for was freely given, but because he didn’t perceive me as the “expert” in his mind, he overlooked it.
A lot of people claim they’re being “left out” or that no one shares the game, but the truth is, the information is right in front of them. Books exist. Conversations happen. Resources are available. But too many people dismiss it because they don’t like the messenger or don’t expect value from them.
The game isn’t locked. You just have to be willing to listen.
Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
