Sarcasm is a Poor Habit

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There were eleven in my big, Irish-Catholic family. As with most big families, we struggled financially. Our main defense against our financial plight, was humor. We used humor like a balm, to soothe our financial pain.

Oftentimes, that humor took the form of sarcasm. Sarcasm, thus, became a habit for most in my big family.

In my Rich Habits Study, I learned that one of the most important traits of self-made millionaires was the habit of forging long-term relationships with other success-minded people. But forging long-term relationships is a two-step process:

  1. Forging the Relationship and
  2. Maintaining the Relationship

During my study, I realized that sarcasm, even though imbedded inside humor, has the effect of sabatoging relationships.

It took me several years to eliminate my inherited Poor Habit of Sarcasm. And this had the effect of improving all of my relationships. Now that this Poor Habit is in my rear view mirror, I no longer sabatoge my hard won relationships. I’m able to keep them for the long-term.

Forging relationships is hard work. Sarcasm can undo all of that hard work in an instant. If you want to maintain your relationships, avoid sarcasm. Even if it is delivered in the form of humor. Sarcasm can hurt. And if you are the source of hurt, people will make an effort to avoid you.

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Thomas C. Corley About Thomas C. Corley

Tom Corley is a bestselling author, speaker, and media contributor for Business Insider, CNBC and a few other national media outlets.

His Rich Habits research has been read, viewed or heard by over 50 million people in 25 countries around the world.

Besides being an author, Tom is also a CPA, CFP, holds a master’s degree in taxation and is President of Cerefice and Company, a CPA firm in New Jersey.
 
Phone Number: 732-382-3800 Ext. 103.
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Comments

  1. Davene Meehan says:

    I totally agree. We also had this in our family of seven. It was a sign of love to see how we could put each other down. After I married and moved away, I joked with a new acquaintance in this manner and discovered it hurt her deeply. At that time I resolved to never do that again.

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