Stepping Up for Success

Did you know that there are people who have the job of checking buildings and bridges and other key structures in our infrastructure and making sure that they’re up to code? When they’re done inspecting they typically go back to their office and write up a report on issues that are present and the level of concern they have and how immediately it needs to be addressed. Occasionally they do the inspection and slap a physical or virtual red sticker on it and close it down or restrict access until things are addressed. But most of the time it’s a case of inspection followed by a write up and it may or may not move up the list of importance depending on what the inspection finds.

You probably saw the news about the ship that hit the Baltimore, Maryland bridge at the end of March. If you followed the story they talked about how the bridge hadn’t been updated or retrofitted for 2024 and the big boats on the river today. Structurally it was sound and that wasn’t a concern, but there are things that could have been added or addressed to give it a better chance should there be an issue with a ship as happened.

How frustrating must it be to go around to all these structures and tell people each time that there are issues and to not have them follow up until things are critical or beyond because of either laziness or budgeting? I understand that it isn’t always possible to fix everything at once, and yes, it’s better to fix things when they’re code red than waiting for them to completely fail, but why would you want to take the chance when like the bridge you could do some things that might make disasters a lot less destructive before you get to that point? And why wouldn’t you try to invest a little each year into repairs and upkeep so that you don’t even get to ‘code red’ in the first place?

My point is that there are many ways to get to success. Some people tend to work by the seat of their pants and usually skate through OK, but my experience in those situations is that it’s stressful and usually more costly than it needs to be. Being early and under budget for everything is also another path people take to success and it sometimes comes with stress too if you’re working faster than you should safely and it may also motivate you to cut corners, or it may mean that you consistently give yourself too much cushion and that can tie up resources too. Typically our path to success has parts that run behind and over budget, parts that don’t take as long or cost as much and parts that go exactly as expected. If you anticipate that there will be parts that run behind and over budget, or maybe even that you might miss something and need a little ‘hail Mary’ to make it through, wouldn’t you want to do whatever you can to protect yourself and your resources (and everyone else who will be affected by it)? And why wouldn’t you take advantage of retrofit type advantages when they come your way to further bolster your success? Maybe the biggest lesson of all in it is one that we know well: step up and take care of and maintain the things that you’re responsible for. Do you need to step up to reach your best success?

Business Lessons from Tax Day

Next week here in the US we’ve got Tax Day for most people, so I thought today we’d talk about some lessons from this event as they apply to our businesses.

First, of course, money matters. You’ve probably heard the old saying that if you’re not making money on the work you do it’s a hobby. Hobbies are great, they’re good for stress reduction, exploring the world and enriching ourselves, but not so great for trying to make a balance sheet work or feed your family from it. While I always say that money is only part of a business, it definitely does matter and being a good steward of that money, both in being wise as it goes out and making sure it comes in, is essential.

Second, Tax Day is a reality check if you will for many who don’t look at their paychecks or don’t pay as super close attention to their finances. You can only hide your head from the facts for so many days during the year before you’re forced to face reality of what you’ve spent and earned in the past year. I know that business owners have a ton going on and a ton to pay attention to so it can be easy to not give much attention to anything that isn’t in the “on fire” (aka problem area) category. Thanks to technology though it’s much easier than it used to be to stay on top of more and to be aware of more of what’s going on in your business and how your business is doing than it used to be.

Which brings us to the third and final point: Tax Day is a reminder to be responsible. I have no problem paying the taxes I’m responsible for, but I’ve always said that I wish I could have a little more say in choosing where those dollars went to, in effect holding the government a little more responsible for putting money in certain directions where I think they’re not being as responsible as they could be. So when it comes to your business, choose to be responsible to the commitments that you’ve made to customers. Be responsible about your employees and contracts you have with suppliers (including any landlords regarding the spaces you use). Be responsible to your family and yourself and make sure that you do more than work your business 24/7.

Have you learned any lessons for your business from Tax Day?

It’s Time for Hard Work

September is here and that’s the time that many people really kick it into a higher gear as they realize that the end of the year is much closer than the start and that if they want to accomplish certain things in this year specifically their time is limited and they need to get working on it now. But in talking with some people and parents recently there’s been an increased level of concern about people’s willingness to work. Are we blessed (spoiled) in this day and age? In so many ways we absolutely are because we’ve got so much access, so many conveniences and so many resources to tap into to get things done and help us do things. I can’t imagine if everything still had to be hand written and the only forms of communication we had were phone calls and handwritten mail, or that we had to light a candle to go out to the outhouse in the snow during the night, or that dinner had to be cooked over a fire or only in a pot on the stove or in the oven and we didn’t have crock pots or any of the other more modern cooking tools that help us.

I see two sides to the work discussion: one that hard work doesn’t always look like it used to anymore. It can be hard work researching for an article or creating a website even if you’re just sitting at your desk and not out doing physical labor. Technology has also changed how hard we have to work for certain things, for example it’s much easier to thoroughly clean your home with the vacuums and cleaners of today than it was years ago. We also don’t see as much of the hard work because it’s not always done locally or it’s done through technology, so we’re missing out on kids seeing how integral work and responsibility are. The other side of the story is that I also know that because of how much easier things are, it can make us struggle more when it comes to things that do require more effort. It can be hard to accept and integrate into your life the things that still require true work and effort, especially with everything else being effort and work on a different level.

As we look at Labor Day tomorrow in the US my encouragement to parents and anyone who works with kids is to teach them the importance of doing the work that needs to be done from a young age. Let them know how hard you work (without scaring them of course); give them responsibilities whether we’re talking eating the food that was prepared, cleaning up their toys, doing their homework or helping clean up after pets (and increasing/changing those responsibilities as they get older); and give them opportunities to see and hear how people work in different ways than what they see in their daily lives like visiting an active candy factory, volunteering with different organizations, and talking with friends and family during gatherings about the different work that each of them does.

I think we can get people back on the side of getting work done and everyone seeing work done, but part of what has to change is attitude towards how we all contribute, and that we need to. So as you hopefully have an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends on Labor Day, let’s not forget that it’s only when we work together, when we all contribute, that work really gets done.

Doing Good Work

You know I’m not a fan of perfection, right? I don’t think it’s helpful or healthy in 95% of circumstances to try to achieve perfection, the only one that I give a little leeway in is medical, because of course we all want our surgical procedures done as close to perfection as possible although we’re smart to be cautious even then because it’s not possible to take away 100% of the risk or remove all of the unknowns. But at the same time I don’t believe not aiming for perfection means that we shouldn’t be trying our best, giving it 100% of our effort or checking for mistakes whenever possible before things are unleashed on the world.

For example I bought something online the other day and when I got what I ordered it didn’t match the online description, and when I asked the seller they told me that they had updated the listing but guessed it didn’t change. It’s good they knew enough to change the listing, but you can’t just assume that the changes go through when you’re talking about being in business or being responsible for something, you have to check (and double check if the situation calls for it) so that you don’t have issues down the road.

This episode and several others recently have reminded me how much work you’re saving yourself if you do your best before things become an issue, how much stress you’re eliminating, and the importance of teaching the next generation to do the right thing sooner rather than later and to be the best person you can be. So where is the line between perfection and doing the right thing/doing a good (enough) job? I think it is where you do everything you can to remove the issues, for example you check your spelling and make sure you include clear pictures and include relevant details and ask questions so you understand the needs/timeline and of course you show up on time or early. By doing your best on the things you can control you leave less up to chance and failure, basically just what you have no control over anyway.

A great opportunity for teaching this line between perfection and good work is through homework from school and encouraging them to study and complete all the assignments on time, and it also can be done through housework or other (appropriate) responsibilities you give them. Of course you should also show your kids that adults are equally responsible and hard working so they see the truth from you about how to apply the things they’re learning to life. What lessons have you learned about doing good work and have you taught to your kids?

Every Little Bit Counts

You’ve probably heard the phrase “it takes a village.” It’s a phrase I really appreciate and apply to many aspects of my life because time and again I’ve been at such a loss or facing such a challenge and know that there would be absolutely no way I could take another step if it weren’t for the support in my life. I recognize that I have only so many capabilities and there are things I just can’t do, or choose not to do in favor of letting others who have those strengths do those things instead. I don’t believe we should be islands, nor were we created to be islands. Instead we were created to be part of a community and all bring our strengths to the table so that we can live our best lives instead of struggling to be responsible for everything.

And one of the most important communities is the community of people we bring together to help raise the next generation. Even the most introverted children need to engage and interact with others, to experience the different types of people out there and learn from many different situations while they’re young so they’ve got the knowledge and background for when they’re adults. Yes, as their parents or guardians we have the most direct responsibility for teaching them about relationships and how to interact with others, but we aren’t a representation of everyone out there or every type of relationship so it’s important for them to be exposed to others too.

But I think there’s something that we forget about this “it takes a village” concept and that’s that the kids are part of that village, too. As much as they’re learning from us and we’re raising them up, doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be contributing as well, and I’m not just talking about playing and reminding us to play. Growing up there were things that I was responsible for. Maybe they weren’t life altering, but it taught me that even at a young age I had a role to play in the family and I was important to keeping the family unit functioning. I’m not suggesting or encouraging that kids be put into the role of adults and be responsible for raising their siblings or when they’re in their later teen years being a serious contributor of income, but that they understand that no one does this life alone and that you need them, especially sometimes, to step up and help out around the house. Maybe that looks like just keeping their room tidy, maybe it’s about setting and clearing the table, maybe it’s about taking care of the pets, there are so many ways that kids of all ages can contribute and can give you as the adult a measure of peace that not only are you teaching them responsibility, you’re being given some help.

Maybe the most important lesson in the “it takes a village” story is that you’re not alone as the parent either, it’s up to you to ask for help when you need it. Yes, you’re ultimately responsible because you’re the parent, but it’s OK to sometimes tell your kids that you’re overwhelmed and ask them to put in a little helping hand as part of the family. No one should take everything on, and sometimes it’s as simple as setting aside the feelings of overwhelm and letting in the willingness to ask for help, even a little bit, because sometimes it’s every little bit that counts.

Being An Adult

Over the past few years I’ve been reading a blog from Chip Conley (and his guest posters) that features a “daily helping of wisdom.” This blog is tied in with their Modern Elder Academy, which is all about bringing the best out of our later years in life (which may surprise you since I’m not exactly ‘old’), and learning how to integrate all ages in living life together for the best version of life for everyone. One of the recent posts on the blog spoke to something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently which is being an adult.

Adulthood is so much more than an age or crossing a somewhat randomly established year (like 18 or 21) or milestone (like having kids or owning a home) even though that’s how we usually understand and apply the term. It’s got a lot more to do with maturity and experience, which is something that develops at different speeds and ages in each person, and as a result some people are given the title “adult” before they are willing to accept what comes along with the age and opportunity.

But going over the list of 25 principles shared on this blog post, there are some things that I hadn’t expected to see and don’t always remember to incorporate into my life as an adult. The good news is that there are more things on that list that can help you thrive and enjoy life (and adulthood more), and I dare say make you not only a better parent, but also a parent that your kids connect with better and are more open to learning from. I encourage you to read the post and work to incorporate at least one of the points into your life.

The other thing the post reminded me is that being an adult is about accepting being a work in progress. Just because we’ve been given, or even if we’ve earned, the title of “adult” it doesn’t mean that we’ve “arrived” in life. In fact, becoming an adult is only one stepping stone in our lives, one of many and a long distance from “arriving.” And if we really accept that we’re all works in progress, we learn to focus less on arriving and more on being the best person we can be in each moment of our lives, with each person we’re with, and in each situation we find ourselves in.

Being the Adult

This time of year one of the things I love thinking about, talking about and encouraging people to consider is about being a kid. This time of year brings out the kid in all of us as we see the lights, light candles, gather with family and friends, play with toys, dream about fanciful places and happenings, and create wish lists for what we want others to gift us. I do believe we’re better off if we keep the child in us alive at least a little for so many reasons. But today I want to talk about something else: how important it is to be an adult.

Just like it’s a choice we have to make to keep our childlike creativity, curiosity, excitement, sense of adventure and willingness to have fun as part of who we are, it’s also a choice to be an adult and follow through on our responsibilities, take care of ourselves and others, be conscious of how our decisions could impact others, say both yes and no as appropriate depending on the situation or opportunity, and be willing to put in the work to get things done even if it takes time.

Adults make the tough choices between change for change sake, change because what was working isn’t anymore, change because innovations have happened, and change because of peer pressure or trends, not to mention that even when you do decide the adult thing to do is make a change, there are tons of options out there to choose from. Adults know when to have fun, when it’s time to be serious, and to choose to act accordingly. Adults recognize when it’s time to keep going on something and invest more time, and when it’s time to stop something for the day and come back to it later. There are an endless amount of choices that each of us make during the course of a day, sometimes letting the little voices in our heads have more say than they should, and sometimes letting the kid in us play too long.

So during this special season of the year, yes I encourage you to have fun and relax. But don’t forget that you are indeed the adult and as the responsible adult it’s up to you to be the voice of reason, the voice of logic, and make the tough decisions, and that your success is in your hands, and not the hands of anyone else.

Energy vs. Endurance

The other day I was working with some kids and I had the thought most tired adults have had: I wish I had their energy. But the more I thought about it, the less I agreed with that statement. Why? Because as an adult with responsibilities I can’t imagine what life would be like if I had 1-2 temper tantrums most days, petered out after 9 hours awake, or played hard/crashed hard half way through the day. You can liken it to being a sprinter or marathoner: one is over and done quickly while the other has endurance. I don’t know about you, but my life doesn’t lend to naps most days and I would be embarrassed to have tantrums weekly let alone daily. So I would much rather be able to work through a 16-18 hour day and feel pretty good from start to finish (even with a little afternoon slump that can be gotten over with a cup of coffee, walk or piece of chocolate) than go balls-to-the-wall for a couple hours and then crash and then do it all over again and again and again until it’s the end of the day.

I think the reason why my brain really caught on the thought was because of all I’ve learned in life and relationships over the past decade or so is that so rarely is life about the next 10 minutes, and more it’s about the next 10 days/weeks/years. Yes, a ton of life can happen in 10 minutes, not to mention that it sometimes takes 10 seconds and one decision for life to be forever changed and impacted, I don’t discount that at all. But what comes before and after those moments are so much bigger and longer and require so much more of us, that it doesn’t really make sense to try to live as a kid/puppy/sprinter, when what life usually requires of you is endurance.

So I’ll keep living my endurance-based lifestyle, but I can appreciate and enjoy the zest for life that kids have at the same time. It’s fun to watch them thrive like that and how their brains put things together in such unique ways and how they see life from such an interesting perspective. It also reminds me how important it is to live and be alive and to not be sucked into living a predictable life that’s not full of adventure and love and meeting new people or getting creative and trying new things. Maybe that starts for you with just adding a little seasoning to your meals or trying a new type of coffee or tea or using a different scent of candle than you usually pick out. Or maybe it looks like you spending more time with the younger generations, volunteering with an organization if you don’t have anyone specifically in your life of a young and enthusiastic age that you can spend time with. How do you incorporate a healthy amount of energy and zest into your life?

Responsibility and Actions for Success

This week we celebrated something that few are able to accomplish: a 246 year old birthday. There are only a few companies who could state that they’ve been around for over 100 years and while many countries have been around for well over a century, there are many things that are different about the USA than those countries. It’s interesting that the day we celebrate the country’s birthday is called Independence Day. Of course it’s called that because that’s the day that we signed on the dotted line declaring our independence from Britain. As I was thinking on the events of this day over 200 years ago I thought about two important aspects of success that ties in very well with the events of some 400 years ago as well as 246 years ago by those who started this country.

What would they be? Responsibility and actions. How did the USA become a country? Because a group of people decided that they weren’t happy, chose to do something about it and not only navigated the seas to the shores of the US but built homes and communities that struggled initially yes, but eventually thrived. They took responsibility for their unhappiness and took action to resolve it, and then continued to take responsibility for the things that needed to get done in order for their actions to be a success.

Our country isn’t perfect, but so many people over the years have been very thankful that this is the country they’re able to live and work in. What about your life? Are you generally happy or content with the path your life is on? If not, maybe it’s time to take responsibility for the path you’re on and choose to chart a new one. No, you don’t have to start completely over like the Pilgrims and other early settlers did, but the path to success is the same: take responsibility for the fact that you want something different, make a plan, take action on that plan, and take responsibility for the next steps that need to happen to thrive on this new path. What role are responsibility and actions taking in your life right now?

Small Businesses for the Win

This week is National Small Business Week. I appreciate that it’s been scheduled with almost 6 months in between it and Small Business Saturday to remind people how important small businesses are twice each year and not just during the holiday season. Both large and small businesses have a role in the US economy, as well as the economy of the world, and many families around the US and the world depend on the income from their small businesses to survive. That said, a small business often brings something to the table that a large business just can’t replicate and that’s passion, not to mention that a small, local business usually knows their (local) market far better than a large one ever could.

Which brings us to something that’s really been on my mind and that’s the topic of responsibility which is two sided: the community has a responsibility to get out and “Shop Small,” and small businesses have a responsibility to make it worth their while. No, of course not every small business will be a 5 star establishment, but if we really want to be successful as small businesses we have to give people something worth talking about and most importantly be someone worth doing business with. So yes, use this week as an opportunity to share about your business in your community, but also let it be a reminder that while you may not be a big business doing billions of dollars in sales, you should be very serious about the responsibility you’ve taken on and give your best to each customer and employee.

Finally, we small businesses need to consistently celebrate each other. From sharing each others social posts, to encouraging each other to join local community gatherings, to participating in summer farmers markets, to sponsoring kids sports teams, to sharing resources and recommending people who can help with various business tasks like cleaning or accounting or marketing, time and again we’ve been reminded that when we work together and are part of a community we’re more likely to be successful for longer.

So be proud of yourself this Small Business Week for all that you’ve done in starting and growing your business, and recommit to being the best you can be for your community and your customers all year long.