For sale

We always hear of people selling their souls. It seems so definite and dramatic but we often sell many other things for even less. Don't fool yourself. We are all selling and we are all buying. We are human currency. We all sell our outer appearance, sexuality, career, intelligence, sense of humor, wealth, etc and we all have a price. Even selling nothing is selling something.

Comedians sell their humor, musicians sell their music, filmmakers sell their vision, models sell their looks, and athletes sell their ability, and so on. Even we 'normal folk' all sell something.

Of course, we all know that prostitution is referred to as the oldest profession. It goes back to the beginning of time. Women who were not married or were widowed often had no way to earn a living. They were often not allowed to own property or learn a trade. Since men had always been at the mercy of their urges, women learned they could sell their bodies to get things they needed such as food, shelter and clothing.

I think we all have the 'buy up' plan in mind and everything we do is to attract a mate. You may disagree but indirectly this is true. Men strive for success, looks, money, fame, etc all to attract a mate. A guy may need to express himself as a musician but in doing so it attracts women. Again, some might argue that not every singer only made that decision to get women but it is an indirect result. An accountant or actuary may not pursue that career in the intention of making a ton of money to get women but it attracts women. Financial stability is high on the attraction scale. The trend of establishing self sufficiency before settling down demonstrates the want instead of a need for a man. Why do women try so hard to hold onto their looks for so long? Because they know men place physical attraction high on the list. When we feel secure in our lives and establish self-worth we then use that to attract a mate.

We can't all be 'top shelf' but the combinations of these attributes can land you a good deal. Often looks, money, status, intelligence, success or humor can be interchangeable. This is why you often see wealthy older men with younger attractive women or a comedian with an actress or an actor with a model. Yet not all combinations work. Have you ever heard of a male super model comedian? I did not think so.

In writing this I had to ask myself what it is that I am selling. It is much easier to look at my friends and be able to determine what they are selling. But after self-analyzing I realized that I sell different things to different people in different situations. In business I sell my knowledge and experience. With family I sell unconditional love. With friends I sell loyalty. I guess potential mates get a mixture of all of the above. How I sell myself to women is one of the most difficult to nail down.

So what are you selling and are you selling the right thing? Is there enough demand for what you are selling? How does what you are selling differ from the other sellers around you? I guess in the end it is not how or what you are selling but rather that you sell it with conviction. Like a salesperson, it is easier and more enjoyable to sell that which you believe in one hundred percent. With dedication and perseverance your big payday will come when your ship sails in. After all, don't good things come to those who wait? Well, maybe more so to those who actively seek it out. The search for that great bargain is usually worth it.

By Trey Mitchell