Father’s Day is this weekend. To honor my father (and fathers everywhere), I want to share some of the life lessons my own dad taught me. He’s deceased now, but I think of these lessons all the time. They’ve certainly helped me over the years, and I hope you find them beneficial in your own life.
First of all, my dad had a secret weapon at work—no one could outwork him. He worked six days a week. He came in early, left late and rarely took vacations. His mantra was: “If you want to kill time—try working it to death.” I learned from his example that hard work trumps talent any day. I didn’t have to be the smartest person in order to be successful—I just had to work hard for what I wanted in life.
Don’t let anything prevent you from achieving what you want. We grew up in Middle Georgia, and that wasn’t exactly a natural market for Henry, my dad, to grow his architectural practice—seeing that he was from New Jersey. (He also was Italian and Catholic and married to someone from South Dakota.) But Henry didn’t let so-called negatives keep him from achieving his dreams. He transcended stereotypes and preconceived notions and created his own success.
Make no excuses. My father was always 100% committed to success. He trusted that he could solve any revenue problems by working more. I never heard him blame his slow times on the economy or the competition. He believed you could work your way out of a slump. When he was 90 years old, I asked Henry to recall the toughest time he ever experienced in the 50-plus years of owning his own firm. He couldn’t come up with one. I knew growing up there were definitely slow times, but Henry didn’t focus on them—he focused instead on the buildings he built and the customers he served. He worked through it.
Sowing the Seeds
I’ve incorporated Henry’s work ethic and positive attitude and commitment to success as I’ve built and grown my own business. The example he set every day has served me well.
As I pass along his advice to my own children, I am adding a few more things:
First, continuously strive for a good reputation. Do whatever it takes to develop and maintain a good reputation. Thirty years of building a solid reputation can be destroyed in a single moment with one bad decision.
Second, whatever it is you’re doing, do it right. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. And make sure to do the right things in life in general. Be a stand-up person. Be honest in everything you do.
Finally, be a saver. Money doesn’t buy love or happiness, but it gives you options and allows you to solve a lot of problems. One of my friends put it this way: “Problems you can solve with money are not ‘problems,’ they are called ‘expenses.’”
So today, as you think about your father or someone who was like a father to you, consider what he taught you. What life lessons did he pass along to you? How has his wisdom factored into your own success? And if you have negative thoughts about your dad from past experiences, I encourage you to forgive him. Don’t do it just for his sake—do it for your own peace of mind. Anger corrodes the vessel within. Remember that.
Happy Father’s Day to all!