READY, AIM ... FIRE!

I remember the following expression from the late 80's and early 90's: "Ready, Fire ... Aim." It was an oft repeated mock of many half thought out, bird brained ideas or ventures that many American corporations were pursuing. The irony is that most of the people that were chanting that phrase were employees of the companies that were pursuing those very same bird brained ideas! Worse, many of those employees were the managers that were responsible for making sure that the whole team ‘fell in line’ behind the less than perfect schemes.

Fast forward to the year 2011: Corporate America continues to downsize and outsource. They are lean and mean, but want to be leaner and meaner. You see the writing on the wall, you know the day is coming where you will either be outsourced or you will get another person’s job dumped on you … and you are already doing two jobs as it is! You think ‘there’s got to be a better way’! You decide want to be an entrepreneur, you want to be your own boss, you want to set your own schedule; you’re sick of answering to ‘the man’; you’ve got a great idea that you want to pursue … so what do you do?

Most of you are thinking ‘you go for it’! But that’s precisely the problem. Your word choice is ‘you go for it’; not ‘I go for it.’ It’s so very easy to tell another person “go for it”, but when it comes down to making decisions about your own life and future … well, that’s a slightly different story. Often times it’s a story that ends right there … until the next ‘great idea’ that you don’t pursue … and then the one after that.

But, for a few goal oriented individuals … the truly entrepreneurial ones out there, you were actually saying ‘I go for it’. You personalized it, you took ownership and in your head or possibly out loud you said “I GO FOR IT!” You don’t wait to check with your accountant, you don’t wait for the ‘right time’ or ‘perfect market conditions’; or for feedback to come in from the market test … you don’t wait for permission from your momma … (to steal a phrase) you “Just Do It!”

You set your sites on the target, you know the general direction you want to go in and you have a general idea of what you will need to do to get your idea to fruition. You know you’ll need a website, but maybe you are not strong in web design … so along the way you either learn web design or you team with someone who already knows it. Perhaps you think you need social media to really get momentum behind your idea, but Twitter, Facebook and mass emailing is foreign to you … so you decide to quit right? Not no, but HELL NO! This is your baby, you’re not going to quit now. You find an ally that can help, or you contract someone or you learn it yourself.

Why … Why would you do all this? Why would you set off on a path pursuing what turns out to be a half thought out idea, pouring your blood, sweat and tears into something that is probably going to fail? It’s for the same reasons that kids always try to do the seemingly impossible. It’s because they want to and because nobody told them that they couldn’t (and sometimes it’s because someone told them they couldn’t).

Since my wife and I don’t let our kids bring their electronic distractions (DS, Phones, etc.) into the restaurants they’re forced to entertain themselves. So they try to make due with what’s around them. Sometimes it’s stacking flimsy sugar or sweet & low packets; sometimes it’s trying to catch a spinning nickel on a very slippery glass table top. Both of these things are possible under the right conditions, but difficult nonetheless. Their pursuit of success is endless though; they don’t stop trying until the food comes. I am always amazed as to why they continue to try the catch the spinning nickel under their index finger. The slippery table, slick coin edges, rapidly moving tiny object, dark restaurant … hmmm sounds challenging, a lot like starting your own business.

Suddenly … Integrity Matters

I was watching the news last week and the topic that was being discussed was the Republican debate. News is usually boring enough on it’s own, but discussing a debate could be as bad as a report on how paint dries. In any case, I watched long enough to notice that the analyst was critiquing Congressman Ron Paul (TX). I paraphrase … but he said ‘you can agree or disagree with him, but if there is one thing that’s constant it’s his opinions and ideals. The man has had the same message for 20 years!’

A few days later (also watching the news) the analyst was offering his criticism of Governor Chris Christie (NJ). I must paraphrase here also, because since it was a news show I had no idea that they were actually going to say something important or relevant … and it’s likely that the message they were trying to send wasn’t the one that I picked up on. In any case … he said ‘love his views or hate his views he remains constant in his philosophy.’ How interesting I thought.

This week I’ve been listening to a Success Magazine CD that my friend (thanks Theresa) gave me. Apparently each month they send her a new CD about a specific topic that includes interviews with key leaders or titans of industry. This one had an interview with John C. Maxwell. Mr. Maxwell was talking on what leadership is and how in this day and age everyone can be, should be and probably is a leader at one time or another; depending on the circumstances that your team or group is faced with even if it is for a fleeting moment. He illustrated that leadership is more than just a title and that if you group is heading out to lunch and you are good with directions you very well may be the ‘leader’ while you are driving; only to give up the position when you get to your restaurant because someone else is familiar with their menu. Leadership can be for a few moments at a time. But it is a necessity of a leader to have integrity; for that person to know exactly what he/she stands for. In other words he was saying that in order to be an effective leader you have to have principles or core values that will be used to guide you in your decision making. And those principles must be unwavering.

Tip from Tubby – (stolen from the three illustrations above): Know who you are, know why you are who you are. No matter where you find yourself in life, if you have a solid foundation (values, principles) you will be able to stand tall. People may not always agree with you … but they will respect you.

Extra Tip from Zig Ziglar – “With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt. With fear and guilt removed you are free to be and do your best.”

Oh no ... it's raining!

Oh no ... it's raining! What do we do now?

So many times in life it seems like we are caught by surprise, something happens and you just aren't prepared for it. How we respond to life's inconveniences reflects who we are as a person. For instance, let's say you are at work and for lunch you decide to walk to a nearby deli. You get about halfway there and it starts to rain - I mean pour, like cats & dogs! At this point, it's inevitable; you are going to get soaked!

It’s too late to prepare now, all you can do is react. How you react is a test of your character and your instinct.

1) Do you just stand in the middle of the sidewalk and scream out: “Why me Lord, why me?!”

2) Or, do you giggle like a kindergartener and run through as many puddles as you can on the way to the deli?

3) Or, perhaps you just find an awning or a store to duck into and try to wait it out for a couple minutes

Now rewind … could you have prepared differently and possibly created better/more options if you were caught in the rain? Yes.

1) You could've watched the weather forecast and would have known that it was going to rain ... or perhaps you do, but the weather person predicted sunny skies?

2) You could've packed a light poncho or umbrella regardless of the weather report

3) You could get a Plan-B ... seems like you needed one; and just ordered delivery

Most of the things in our lives that surprise us and are important to us don’t have to be surprises. We just have to put a little forethought into these things and plan for them. Have you ever been surprised that “tomorrow is ‘so & so’s’ birthday. Or can’t believe that Christmas is next week and you haven’t started shopping yet … nor did you save up money for it. Does your boss often take you buy surprise when he or she asks for the “McMillan” project and you thought you still had plenty of time to work on it?

There are certain things that you just can predict, such as earthquakes. But with a few minutes spent planning each morning when you get up, or at night before you go to bed, life can go a lot smoother. And thanks to the internet you can get instant weather reports and not have to worry about getting caught in the rain!

Hard Work is OVER-RATED!

You've heard it many times before ... "Keep your nose to the grindstone"; "just work hard"; "hard work pays off"; "give it a 110%" and don't worry ... you'll be noticed! IT'S JUST NOT TRUE!

Hard work is way, way over-rated! There are millions and millions of people across the world working hard ... very hard and where is it getting them? They're "Putting their backs into it" ... whatever their "it" is. And, in most cases ... dare I say nearly all ... the ones who gain the most from the hard work are the pain reliever companies! That's right; the makers of Tylenol and Icy Hot are the ones that gain the most from your hard work and profit from helping you reduce your back ache, stress headache and other ailments!

"No, no Tubby ... that's wrong," you say, "it's 'the man' that gains the most from me breaking my back day in and day out!" Short term 'the man' does gain ... but long term your body; mind and soul are going to wear out. And when they do you actually become a burden to 'the man'. And once you have become a burden to "the man" what does he (or she) need you for? NOTHING! You'll actually start costing him/her money (relatively speaking).

"But Tubby ... 'the man' owes me!" What does 'the man' owe you? You have already been compensated for your hard work. Let's say digging holes is your gig and you were hired at a rate of $20 per hole. If you dig three holes in a day, or a week, or a year ... then 'the man' owes you $60. And that is all 'the man' owes you. If you dig ten holes in the same period of time, then 'the man' owes you $200. If you've met the quality requirements and 'the man' doesn't pay up then you've got something to complain about. Otherwise, you dug holes, you got paid, end of story.

It doesn't matter if you are a hole digger, a maid or a dentist ... your job is probably pretty well defined. You get paid to do that specific job ... do the job, get paid, no complaining.

However, if you "work smarter" and are able to add value and/or accomplish what you are being paid to do without breaking your back ... then guess what? You still get paid! If you get $20 per hole and come up with a better way of digging holes which requires only half the time you still get $20 per hole!

You say "But Tubby ... there's only one way to do my job;" or "I don't know how to work smarter?" Then I say "WELL YOU MUST BE GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE THEN." If you are happy with the status quo and don't want to look for a way to change or improve your job, your situation, your life ... in other words "improve yourself" then don't complain, be happy and take whatever comes your way.

If, on the other hand, you are not happy with what you have, where you are or who you have become. Then the simple answer is CHANGE! Do not wait for things and circumstances around you to change. And don't lie to yourself and think that if things around you change it will of course be for the better. It is true that when things do change they will be better ... it's just that they'll be better for the guy or girl that caused the change. The ones who chose to improve themselves and their situation. The ones who decided to learn more about digging a better hole and quicker.

You have choices in life. Not making a choice IS making a choice. What's your next choice going to be?