Herman School of Business
Squeeze every drop of effort
It occurs to me as I reflect back on the last thirty years how my energy level has changed. Early on getting four or five hours of sleep was more than enough. Lately, that’s not cutting it anymore.
That has made me think about still achieving goals when two things happen to people. Age, and enough money to be comfortable without climbing another mountain. On one level, those early days of effort were at a time when I had nothing and was struggling to become successful. Of course I was younger and could work longer hours. And then, somewhere back there a few years ago the tide turned. First the money coming in was almost enough to live on. Then, a little more than enough. And ultimately enough that with proper investing I didn’t have to run so hard on the little hamster wheel in my cage anymore. It took away one part of my drive. The hunger and need to be successful was replaced by the joy of achieving a level of financial security that no longer required so much hard work.
At that time of my life I was tired. The thousands of trips and the thousands of meetings had taken a toll on my mind and my body. One of my kids asked me what was the next big idea? I actually said I was done. My wife and daughter laughed out loud. I didn’t understand why they couldn’t see I was a beat puppy. Oh, believe me, they showed a great deal of appreciation for what I had accomplished, and how all of my children benefited with marvelous educations and solid starts into adulthood, with what opportunities the business success had afforded them.
Sharing stories about the road with the kids was the impetus to start the next fire in my belly. My wife gave me a book about writing a book a few years ago for Christmas. As my mind and body healed, the writing began. As the words on the screen ultimately became words on pages, between beautiful book covers, something else occurred. The new challenge of making this work successful became a hunger as strong as any earlier in my life. Now the goal may be different, although making money is what a businessman is all about, spreading the gospel of the Herman School of Business has become of enormous importance to me.
So, while I may need more sleep, and don’t have that same survival need that having nothing yet in life brings, in order to make this project work, I need to squeeze every drop of effort I can make or I will not be doing my belief justice.
Are you too comfortable to keep working hard enough to go higher? Are you afraid to squeeze another drop of effort out for the project you believe in?
- Posted: 29 October 2007
- Comments: 0
- Category: Business success
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