I want to talk more about work, because it’s on my mind.
My last post was about my advice to the class of 2011, and essentially, I said you need to work, and be the person who gets things done. Nothing wrong with that, really, but I want to discuss work a little deeper in how it relates to success.
Work is not something you do temporarily. People (especially young people) beat their chest about working hard for a year or two… ummm, I don’t know how to break this to you, but that’s just kind of expected. There are no medals for working. Just a paycheck. Collect your check and show up next week.
The paycheck is the key to success, really. I look back on my life, and I am hard pressed to find any time in my life that I did not make money. And I’ve had a million and a half jobs (my first real job I was at 6 years, the next was two and a half, and they went down from there.) But somehow, some way, I brought home money. Yes, there were a few weeks in there I was on unemployment, but that’s ok too -you earn your time on unemployment, and if you need it for a few weeks, so be it. But even then, I brought in money – even unemployed for four months at 26, I’d go fix computers for $50 or whatnot. I NEVER, EVER didn’t earn. Period. I’m just wired that way.
My wife is like me – to a point, anyway. Maryellen has had two jobs since she was out of school (I’ve had two jobs in an afternoon, so she’s a much better employee than I). She went right from one to the other, too – left one on a Friday, started the new one on Monday (who does that?) But we’re similar in that Maryellen ALWAYS brings in money. Week after week after week.
People ask us why we are successful. Well, you have a good part of the reason above. We work. No bullshit, no excuses, no nothing… we simply both work. Week after week, month after month, year after year – a steady, uninterrupted flow of paychecks. I didn’t always like what I did, but I did it, because I like earning money.
I know people who want to be successful, but aren’t. Almost to a person, they have spotty work records. This one quit with nothing lined up, and didn’t work for months. That one got fired for stealing, got denied unemployment, and decided to screw around with non-income producing stuff instead of finding a real job. I’ve known other people out months for an illness/injury that really can be worked with (Months? I’d have to be in a freaken’ coma to take even a month off.) It seems some people will take anything that gets them out of work and run with it… whatever. Your financial situation is the result, whether you want to see it or not.
Now, one other thing about work – I said above that it’s just expected… that’s true. Work is not temporary. It builds upon itself. Like I mention on my success theory page, go and bring in ten years of steady paychecks, and tell me what happens. Bet anything you have at least a middle class lifestyle.
I know I sound a little stern here – sorry about that. But I’m just sooooo tired of people looking for the key to success, and will talk about doing everything but working.