Don't Let the Job Get in the Way of the Job

March 2011

In my blog last month, I spoke of Attitude. It bears repeating, "It is the only real thing each of us owns." This month, I'm going to talk about another very important word in our language, JOB.

From the onset, let me explain that I do believe in the age-old saying that "Nobody but nobody on their deathbed laments, if only I had spent more time at the office, my life would have been so much better.” We all know that we work because it supposed to make us feel good and help us provide for our loved ones. Yes, I did say make us feel good. Like many of you, I have worked virtually 50 of my 54 years. My parents didn't believe in allowance a whole lot. If you ate, you did chores. If you wanted stuff other than clothes, you did something extra for the family or someone else. Doing something that someone else wanted to make money, is one of my earliest memories. Have you ever listed the jobs you've been paid for? (I know I'm not supposed to end a sentence with a conjunction. But it sounds better than compensated.)

A few of my jobs:

4 years old - Floor sweeper in Mr. Easley’s Barber shop on Hwy 51 and Fite Rd.
6 years old - Delivered Avon and the sewing for my Mom on my Bike
8 years old - Mowed yards, collected bottles
12 years old - Made trophies in a barn for Champion Trophy
15 years old - Hamburger flipper at Burger Chef at Lamar and Knight Arnold
16 years old - Whatever mom said to do at Champion Trophy
18 years old - Clerk at 7/11, graveyard shift, on Macon in Berclair area (got robbed third day, kept working)
19 years old - Tutored children to read at college, worked back at 7/11 on Christmas break
20 years old - Managed T- Shirt Shack in Germantown Mall
21 years old - Ironworker for maybe 10 minutes, no seriously, 6 months
22 years old - Headhunter at Snelling and Snelling on straight commission
23 years old - Personnel Recruiter for Wendy’s International, 17 stores
24 years old - Salesman at Champion Awards and Apparel. T-Shirt Printer, Trophy Maker, and courier
24 - 44 years old - Made lots of mistakes and finally learned how to run a business
44 - present - Entrepreneur, salesman, teacher and still floor sweeper

Whewwww!!!

"The sum of Wisdom is that time is never lost that is devoted to work."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

As you can see, I did not have a stellar career before I finally succumbed to my calling of the family business. I listed those jobs to show that I have always had the need, and probably always will, to earn money by providing a service or product that is valuable to someone. You know what they say," Do what you love and you will never work another day in your life."

I think that's a bunch of hooey! I know you do and so do I, work really really hard at what we do and you just don't love it 100% of the time. Sometimes, I just own a job instead of a business. But the ones who turn their jobs into a series of rewarding challenges really own their own business. You know Entrepreneur is a fancy word for person willing to fail and keep going. Because, if you keep improving you never fail.

If you want to know more on the subject of owning a business not just a job, Read “E- Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber. He gives you a step-by-step process on how to build a small business. The exhilaration of sweeping the floor 50 years ago and earning .25 is what I continue to aspire to today. The E- Myth will help bring clarity to that aspiration.

With all that said, I also think you must serve the Greater Good for no compensation from time to time. Having compensated work ultimately let's me provide for people that need a helping hand. But, I have come to believe that if you really want to help people that can work, you must give them a chance. You must actually teach them how sometimes. The face of a person who for the first time realizes self worth with a job is a really special thing. Isn’t that our real job? It is why I will never, not have a job. Remember: Don't let the job get in the way of the job!

Pitch graphic
Now Here's the Pitch: You can have a virtual company store on the web, with no inventory costs. Call me and I'll show you how.

mike@gochampion.net or (901) 870-4830