As I sit at my desk listening to the activity surrounding me-calls to clients and candidates, talk about the Holiday and Christmas Season, jokes at each other’s expense, and congratulations for a multitude of things-I am amazed at what a few people of like mindedness are able to do. There is that old adage about the three types of people: making it happen, watching it happen, or wondering what happened. This is proven to me again and again on a daily basis.
This keeps running through my mind as we have a new person in the office. She is our first member of the stronger sex (sorry guys, truth hurts) and has acclimated incredibly well to the culture-maybe the lack of- in the office. She has also demonstrated that effort and action produce results. In her short tenure here, she has shown on repeated occurrences how this is true. There is something so profound in watching someone execute a plan and see the wealth of success. From a personal perspective, I truly enjoy seeing my guys realize this success more so than I do by doing it myself. Something to be said for teaching someone a very simple formula and watching them excel at it.
The opposite is unfortunately also true. I have witnessed some very talented people who had literal tons of potential fall off due to inactivity. Sedentary workers…not stuck in a chair, but stuck in a paradigm that produces nothing of value……are a cancer to an organization. They are a succubus that take the very life from an organization. They stick out like boils, and should be lanced. The unfiltered truth as it were, based on where I sit. I have seen this in the recruiting world as well as industry-People that on paper were perfect for their role, but would not execute. Notice I said would, not could. That one letter makes all of the difference. Could is the physical ability…would is the choice you make when you get out of bed in the morning.
I think the other catalyst for this thought is the time of year. We have committed to assist a couple families through the holidays. We are committed to giving back for what has been a great year. I say this to most assuredly NOT toot our horn, but because we are morally and characteristically motivated to do certain things. The point here is that there are certain people that through life circumstance are in a position where assistance is needed. That is something I can support. Those that are complacent and content on doing nothing to better themselves make me want to gouge out my eyes. It is that “would not” attitude that establishes this as a baseline. These are the people that wonder how they arrived at this destination and frankly garner animosity rather than sympathy.
At the end of the day, it simply is a matter of choice. You choose to get out of bed and make it happen…whatever that “it” is, or you choose to wallow in your predicament. There was a tweet this morning from Matt Hunckler (@hunckler)..and I will not quote verbatim…but the gist was that there is no pill, app, or similar that replaces hustle. Simply stated, get off your butt and do it. The sentiment there is so spot on.
So for this holiday season, my wish for you is a huge, heaping dose of hustle. That you take that dream you have, and execute a plan that takes you to where you need to be. That you find that internal motivator that nothing will be allowed to stand in your way.
Oh…and a copy of the Call of Duty “Black Ops”….great way to release tension and kill some time (and bad guys).
Be Relentless,
Doug
