As I Often Do

"As often I do, I fail to take action to express my respects."

• Dan Simons
  

As I Often Do

About fifty of us had gathered together to work toward the betterment of our industry and community. We were going through a process we'd been through many times before. The big difference this time was that I had been ill for the past couple of weeks and still was not feeling my best. So as the meeting went on and the discussion danced around the philosophical differences between the participants, my lack of comfort caused me to lose my patience. And, as the wrong kind of words exploded from my mouth I regretted them instantly.

But as it is in all circumstances, once words escaped they could not be recalled. So, I had to sit through the rest of the meeting filled with embarrassment and hope. I was embarrassed by acting precipitately and I hoped that the others in the meeting would judge me by the character I had demonstrated to them over the years rather than my most current words.

A couple of days passed, but my embarrassment and hope didn't. That is until I got an email from my friend Dan Simons.

"I have observed your strengths, passions, and fight for right."

My hope had been fulfilled! Most importantly, my hope of learning for great people was also fulfilled. I reflected on the lesson being taught to me by a man I respect a great deal. I wondered how many times I had missed the opportunity to express my respect for others when they could have been uplifted by a few kind words from me. But, I can do nothing about all save the most recent occurrences.

So I've decided to follow Dan's example "to take action to express my respects" as often as possible from this day forward. I want everyone possible to feel the rush of warmth radiate throughout their body as they read the heartfelt words written by the hand of a true friend. I'll never forget Dan's expressions or the feelings delivered and I hope you'll do the same for someone else.

Let's make "As I often do" a description for our character of taking action to express our respects and love to those around us every day.

Be Kind

"Do you need some help sir?"

• Young Man in a Parking Lot
  

Be Kind

I had just left a cancelled meeting. I didn't know it was cancelled until I arrived. You'd think I would be kind of upset since I had confirmed the meeting the evening before. But, it had been a busy day and the truth was that I welcomed the short break in my heavy work schedule. It would give me some time to stop at a store and get some oil for my car.

In just a few minutes I arrived at the store and found the oil isle. I was looking for a type of oil I had never seen before so it took me a while to find it; I had no idea there were so many kinds of synthetic oil! I snatched the oil, paid for it and then walked out to my car.

Since I was enjoying found time, I thought I'd check my oil right then and there. I opened the hood, pulled the dip stick, wiped it off and thrust it in again. Sure enough, my oil was a little low so I opened the new bottle I had just purchased and began to pour it in. As I poured, a small silver Honda pulled into the parking stall next to me.

When the car stopped, a young man got out quickly and looked up at me with a smiling face.

"Are you alright sir?" He queried.

"I am. Thanks!" I said.

The young man gathered up his children and then went off to the store. I stood watching them walk away as I finished pouring my oil.

"What a nice man." I thought as I began to drive out of the parking lot. He didn't even know me. He didn't know anything about me, and still he was willing to offer his help out of concern! I continued to drive forward to my next appointment as I felt the warm glow of his gesture. Then I spotted a sign on the side of the road.

Its large red letters were sandwiched in between signs for businesses located in a small strip mall.

"Be Kind."

I thought of the young man and wondered if he had seen the, Be Kind sign as he was on his way to the store where we met. Probably not, I thought. Still, what a great sign! What a great pair!

A sign with an important message and its emissary in the form of my parking lot friend caused a large smile to stretch across my face. I could do better! I can be more kind. I can be an emissary of kindness. And, if you'll join in, there will be many more smiles stretching across faces, neighborhoods and towns. Let's all be a little kinder.

Keep Your Pivot Foot Firmly Planted

"Perfect is something that is not necessary."

• Alan J. Patricof
  

Keep Your Pivot Foot Firmly Planted

When I think of someone who is a legend the first thing that comes to my mind is that they're something special. And, I think most people would agree with me. After all, think of a legend of sports, someone like Babe Ruth.

I always thought of him as the perfect home run hitter. But when I took the time to learn more about him, I found that he struck out many more times than he hit a home run. Perhaps that should have been the only lesson I needed to learn about perfection. Yet, here standing in front of me was Alan Patricof, a legend of venture capital investing.

Alan is known in business circles as more than a legend. He is also known as one of the Fathers of Venture Capital. He helped create "venture investing" and has, for more that forty years, worked to bring the business into maturity. So, I couldn't help but sit and hang on his every word, just hoping to learn from the master directly. And it didn't take me more than one minute!

"When you're starting a new venture, perfect is something that is not necessary. I'm sure you've heard of the concept called pivoting; what you start out with today will be completely different six months from now. You have to learn as you go. Learn through the process."

I reflected on his words. I thought of my own life and how grateful I was to hear him say that perfection is not necessary. I visualized myself as a young boy and what I thought my life would be like these many years later.

My real life isn't anything like my boyhood fantasy. In some ways my real life doesn't measure up, but in most ways it is far better than I could have ever imagined. And that's the point of learning as you go.

The truth is that you don't know what you don't know and so life must be revealed a little at a time. Here a little and there a little. That's what process is. It means going from one step to the next and gaining a little with each stride.

Progression doesn't usually come in huge chunks or events. It mostly happens little by little, day by day, year by year, lesson by lesson. After all, what would be the fun in watching a ball game if you knew the outcome from the beginning? Why read a book if the entire plot was revealed immediately? What would be the measure of life if you went from youth to perfection over night?

No, perfection isn't necessary. But enjoying the process of life will make all the difference in the quality of your living; so make sure to keep your pivot foot firmly in place!

No. Not a Fit.

"I will push the negative away and will be more successful."

• Mike Lindsay
  

No. Not a Fit.

I was sitting at a large round table surrounded by friends, people I work with. We aren't all representing the same company, but we work as a team to help each other succeed. If there was no other reason to be sitting together during a celebration, that would be enough! After all, in a competitive world, true friendship and cooperation can be a rare thing.

And, if you were to gauge the ability to succeed economically by what is constantly pushed through your ears on a daily basis you'd have to come to the conclusion that no one is doing well. No one has a chance to have a successful business. There are lots of reasons one can use for giving up.

But there in front of me was flyer filled with names. They were all listed in alphabetical order. And, as I looked at it I was beginning to be more and more curious. After all, there was no title on any of the pages. There was no clue as to what it represented. There weren't even any page numbers on any of the sheets.

I picked up the other papers at my spot and tried to figure out their association to this alphabetical list. It inserted it within another flyer and studied them together. No. Not a fit. I finally just decided that I would know soon enough. The annual awards luncheon was about to begin.

The President of the company began the meeting with a presentation about change and how fast it was coming at us. He then went over our industry numbers and showed how sales in our industry had declined dramatically year over year. Then he held up the paper containing the alphabetically listed names and said, "This is a list of people that were more successful than they were last year."

I looked at the list again. It was a large list. In fact, by my estimation the names represented more than one quarter of our company! That is cause to celebrate; especially when forty percent of people in our industry didn't have one sale during the entire year.

So, what was different about these people? I sat and wondered. I looked around. I knew that the people sitting at my table had their names on this list. I studied their eyes. I didn't come to any conclusion until I heard one statement from the individual who had a sales year better than anyone else.

Mike Lindsay said, "I will push the negative away and will be more successful."

Everyone on that list had made the same decision. They had come to the conclusion that there was opportunity out there and they would seize it. Then they had done whatever it took to go out and be successful.

I looked across the table once more and saw one friend who had been on the brink of losing her home. I saw the gleam in her eyes as the meeting went on. She had more to celebrate than most. She could have given up and said, "It's the market. There's nothing I can do. "

But she made a different choice. She said. No! This is not a fit. I will go out and go to work. I'll save my home. I'll be the difference. And she did!

Now you know about "The List." I invite you to put your name on this list. I invite you to push the negative away and be more successful this year than last. Make success a fit!