View from the Summit

Relationships are the number one key to success both personally and professionally. Taking the time to invest in long-term relationships have paid the most dividends repetitively of any tactical move I could have performed. I look back over time and see the countless lives I have invested in and come to appreciate even more the value those relationships have afforded me. 

When you take the approach of what you can give 

to the relationship rather than what you can get, it works. 

I had breakfast this morning at Panera, and as I was leaving, the cashier told me to “have a good day.” I hear that phrase repeated countless times a day everywhere I go. I’m not sure why today it struck me differently. I go through most days myself extending well wishes to others and honestly make that same comment, “have a good day.” It’s funny to me that we are so conditioned to automatic responses that we often reply, “I’m good,” and “how are you,” when we’ve yet to be asked. I pondered the question and realized that I’m guilty as the next person often running on auto pilot.

How would you know when you have had a good day? What is the recipe for a good day? What are the chain of events that must happen for you to have a good day? What metrics are you using that will mark this day in history as a good day? 

If you were to mark off each day on the calendar as to

 whether it was a good day or a bad day, how would you decide? 

Having a little success naturally puts you in the “leadership” position. I have been fortunate enough for almost 40 years now to work for myself. As a result of that alone, I get numerous inquiries about what are the “best practices” and "I must do this or that” questions. Every answer I have is not the solution to every single problem area. Often, what I have to say will not solve your situation or even moderately make it better. You must use discernment; gather a consensus from the multitudes and listen to trusted advisors.

However, there is a topic I would like to discuss with you today that I can say with total confidence and 100% certainty will cause you indescribable excruciating pain if it goes unguarded. What I am about to share is, and always has been, a monumental distraction for many people.

·      Wars have been fought over it.

·      Families destroyed as a result of it.

·      Careers abandoned overnight because of it.

·      Children maimed and scarred forever as a repercussion from it.

·      Great men and women marked by shame for decades as a direct result of it.

A buddy of mine was traveling through Nashville last night and invited me out to dinner. What a great time and a great guy. As we dove into a deep discussion about life events and family, we stumbled upon the topic of generosity. We shared with each other various ways to show acts of kindness, and we were giving helpful tips on how to share with the ones we love the most, our families. Then he said something that absolutely floored me.