Don't Be Someone Else's Tool

If you're serious about forging your own life in a way that lets you set your own terms, you must learn to not allow yourself to be someone else's tool, unless you also benefit in a useful way.  When you do truly benefit, you're getting into the realm of the commerce of relationships, which we'll cover in an upcoming episode. The definition of tool we'll use for this discussion is:  A derogatory term for a person who is used or manipulated by another person or group.  The inference is that a person is being used or manipulated in a deceptive way in order to server the goals of someone else, and at the expense of, or to the detriment of, the person being used. In this episode we'll consider the many ways people all around you are trying to manipulate your thinking, your values, and your dreams, and get you to serve their needs or goals.  Through this understanding you can minimize your role as a tool for someone else's benefit.