This article is shared Contractor In Charge.
The New Year is right around the corner. Looking back, we have had almost two years of uncertainty and chaos. Yet most service trades have and are prospering well. With this said, I decided to keep this light for a year-end article.
Rather than write a few paragraphs on a business topic, I wanted to leave 2021 with some sayings from a favorite motivational speaker of mine. ©Larry Winget authored a great deskside book called The Gospel of Larry. I highly recommend you pick up a copy and keep it on your desk, in your truck, by your bedside, or wherever you have a few minutes to reflect.
The quotes from ©Larry Winget are long, but I have selected a few for you to read and reflect on 2021 or think about 2022 in different terms.
Here we go!
©Larry Winget
I don’t have any interest in taking care of people. My interest is in teaching people how to take care of themselves.
On Life
Simple ideas for a better world: Smile more. Don’t litter. Buy things from little kids. Use your turn signals. Don’t talk in theaters. Say please and thank you.
Putting up with something is the same as endorsing it. Do you endorse rudeness, laziness, lousy service, insolence, stupidity? If not, stop putting up with it.
Life is about two things: The things you CAN control and the things you CAN’T control. Which are you spending your time on?
Don’t worry too much about making the right decision. Just make the decision, then make the decision right.
On Success
Wishful thinking is not a strategy for success.
Success comes from what you do, not from what you say you are going to do.
Before you can say yes to what you want, you have to say no to what you have.
The best way to get ahead is to move your behind.
Why be successful? It is very simple: because you can.
On Work
Focus on accomplishment, not activity. What you do isn’t as important as what you get done.
If it feels easy, maybe it’s because you aren’t doing it right. Some things are supposed to be hard.
Finding a job you love isn’t always possible, but falling in love with the job you have usually is.
Don’t tell me how busy you are. Show me what you’ve gotten done. Words don’t matter. Results do.
On Business
A simple business fact: Your value must exceed what your cost or you will be replaced by someone who costs less and has more value.
Leadership is not about supporting your people; it’s about holding your people to a higher standard.
The biggest mistake you will ever make is thinking you can’t be replaced.
Good results cover up a multitude of sins.
On Money
Poor is a condition. Broke is a situation. Fix your situation before it becomes a condition.
If you were born poor, it’s not your fault. If you die poor, it is.
People don’t have money problems; they have priority problems. Get your priorities right, and your money will get right.
Get clear about what you own and what owns you.
These quotes are a few of my favorites from ©Larry Winget. The quick read has other categories such as Relationships, Parenting, and Stupidity. Grab a copy of The Gospel of Larry, you will reference it often.
I will leave you with two of my own:
- Focus on the Rule, Not the Exception to the Rule.
- Say what you mean, mean what you say!
Happy Holidays and New Year!
See you in 2022.
Lynn Wise is the Founder and CEO of Contractor in Charge.