To Survive, And Perchance To Dream…..

Let me throw all the crap against the wall and lets just see what sticks!! It seems to me that the older I get; the more I hear about the people who have forgotten about why they got in “The Game” and settle instead into complacency and give up on the successes they had plans for or the dreams they once held near and dear. This is not to place myself on a pedestal, because I have had my share of mucking through the mire trying to find the golden key of success. Guess what? I’m still looking….and will continue.

How does anyone know whether or not they are successful? Is it the entourage you gain, the gems on the fingers and the newest toys and technology that money can buy? Is it your name on the company letterhead; or being on the cover of Forbes Magazine before you hit the age of 40? Or is it retirement after finding the client on the golden goose? Lofty goals…each and everyone of them….but guess what…(and you may be shocked by this) SUCCESS COMES WITH A PRICE !!!!!

Without the hard work associated with the success, you may as well find a really deep hole and jump in, because that is where your success may lie if you don’t start looking at reality. We all want the golden egg (see above..leads to early retirement), and we all want everyone to see us as the truly great and good people we seem to be; lending out our skills to others in the hope that the bigger picture will be achieved sooner, and all the while having a secondary objective which would torpedo the whole thing. At some point if you are not careful, people will see you for the pariah you are and run for the hills; not even stopping to get directions because all their business sense is screaming that anyplace is better than where you are.

Hard work equals success? Possibly not, but there hasn’t been a day go by in my lifetime where I haven’t risen each and every day, looked at myself in the mirror, and stated that “Today is going to be a Great Day!” It’s understood that this encompasses all the people I will affect this day, yesterday, tomorrow, or at some point next year- It really doesn’t matter; because no one goal will be achieved (large or small) without some sort of a team around you. And don’t put yourself behind a curtain, because you don’t like the attention. TOUGH….and suck it up, Buttercup… because this ride leaves in 5 minutes and you don’t have the option of staying home.

Business RELATIONSHIPS are like a marriage or a really cool club that everyone wants to be part of. Show your leadership potential some of the time and SURPRISE, another cog in the big wheel is formed. Will you make mistakes?Probably. Will your feelings be hurt? Definitely. (again, see above, Buttercup).

This is where you have to ask yourself…”After all the pain, agony and effort that went into this project, am I any worse off for the experience?” Probably not—A good team isn’t all that easy to find—everyone has to be on board for the same reasons, and have the same goals in mind. So you may not be the figurehead 100% of the time—but I’m sure the cost of a winning team is worth standing in the shadows some of the time. If not, take what you have learned, and what you have taught; SHAKE HANDS with the team on the way out; and WISH THEM WELL—and don’t start a smear campaign the minute you are out the door, it simply adds credence to why they may not have really needed you in the first place.

A harsh lesson; a free-form document written from the heart, with the hopes that those reading this will find the magic formula for success, and once doing so, share it with others who have dreams just like you.

blah,blah..class dismissed..blah, blah, blah, Something to Think About!!! Smile

(Writers Note: This was written August 24th, 2011, on the 15 year anniversary of my mothers death. Fortunately she hasn’t been around to see some of the set-backs, and failed projects that are my source of inspiration….I will reach the summit and see you on the other side)

(p.s. No business models, company standards, plans of future wealth or successful teams were harmed in the writing of this piece—DJS)

Comment by Jerry Albright on August 25, 2011 at 9:47am: Very interesting take on things Daniel. I almost knew where you were going with this one - but you threw me for a loop with this:

"At some point if you are not careful, people will see you for the pariah you are and run for the hills...."

I've never once felt I was anything close to a pariah....and would hope none of us do. If anything - we leave people and companies BETTER than we found them.

Comment by Daniel J Smith on August 25, 2011 at 10:24am: This was more a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they are indispensable. Good teams work well together because of that; the bad ones (teams) should fade into the background because they have no business trying to succeed when they are doomed to failure due to poor planning and execution. Enough failures and its time to find the exit before you are shown it. Thank you, Jerry for taking time out of your day to read and critique this piece. Have yourself a Fantastic Day....Daniel

Comment by Daniel J Smith on August 25, 2011 at 10:26am: Forgot the most important point in the piece...Good is okay, Great is fantastic but Stellar is better with the vocation you have chosen.