I’m fortunate to soon be going on a magnificent fishing trip to Alaska. An acquaintance commented that I sure was lucky. This got me thinking about luck, because I think luck has little to do with it. Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s, was credited with saying, “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat the luckier you get.” I have lead a successful life but I think it has more to do with hard work, curiosity, a willingness to change and taking advantage of opportunities, than mere luck. Don’t underestimate how little things and a willingness to change can dramatically impact your success.
Efficiency matters. Thirty-five years ago, I saw the need to learn how to efficiently type and expand on technology. I’m absolutely awful at technology. The joke around the office is that I can break a computer simply by touching it. It was and is not easy. However, it’s made a huge impact on overhead and my financial success. After a couple of years, I was able to eliminate an administrative position at $30,000 a year. You do the math; $30,000 annually times 30 years is a lot of money. In addition, I was able to hire good help rather than someone who retyped my awful handwriting. Are you proficient with a keyboard and process information, or still inefficiently hunting and pecking? With voice recognition, it’s gotten even easier. Are you and your project managers as efficient as they should be? Don’t be a dinosaur.