Success Is A Lot More Than Showing Up

"Seventy percent of success in life is just showing up," a wag once quipped. He was wrong. There's more to success than showing up... a lot more. Being successful is not really rocket science, either. In fact, these four things almost guarantee it.

SHOW UP WHEN YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO

After gassing up at a convenience store, I couldn't find anyone to take my money. Positive they didn't want me to escape without paying, I patiently drummed my fingers... and waited. The harried manager finally hip-hopped by the counter on his circuit around the store. His helper was more than two hours late. Shaking his head in disgust, he complained, "I can't find anybody who wants to work!"

WORK HARD WHILE YOU'RE THERE

Here's part of someone's performance evaluation: "This employee works well under constant supervision--and cornered like a rat in a trap." Having no clock is better than having a broken clock. Having no worker is better than having lazy workers. It just takes too much time and effort to keep them cornered and working.

Plus, lazy workers spoil good reputations. A friend who had a crew working at a local factory told me how he almost lost his. Some factory workers pulled him aside and pointed out one of his crew. "You need to get rid of that guy. He doesn't want to work." They were right. He was cozier with the water cooler than with his tools.

DO IT THE WAY THE CUSTOMER WANTS

In 1957, with television still in its infancy, two fellows opened a small electronic supply house. My uncle, James Tyson, had a radio and TV repair shop in North Little Rock in those days and began doing business with them. Many years after he closed his shop, he told me about the Carlton-Bates Company's service. "If I needed a 25-cent part to take care of a customer's problem, I'd call Joe Carlton. Joe would always get the order right out to me." Carlton-Bates' philosophy is still to do business the way the customer wants to do business. They now have sales locations in 17 states.

FINISH WHAT YOU START

There are many honorable reasons that some fail to finish what they start. But some people are just lazy oafs, fitting this definition I found a few years ago:

"The lazy oaf is not easy to get work out of. The best way is to take away all easy chairs and water coolers, carry a long stick and knock out the windows in his office to get his attention. Then tell him exactly what to do and when."

Many line up to race; fewer finish. Many enroll in college; a fraction walk out with degrees. Starting well is easy; finishing well is not.

Do you want to be successful? Start by showing up--when you're supposed to.

Copyright 2000 James McAlister

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