I have been working since I was thirteen years old. My first job was stocking shelves at a local grocery store during evenings and on weekends. The store was a half mile from my home and I rode my bicycle there and back except when it was raining. I learned more than a few lessons from that first job of gainful, paid employment and I would like to share three of those. I think that they make the leap of years and generations and can be applied to anyone in business today.
While I did not recognize it at the time, that first job catapulted my emerging pattern of success to a whole new level. I had always been a good, not great, student, and this employment opportunity worked magic on more than just my work habits; it became a way of thinking and acting in every aspect of life. Success is a relative term; after all, when you are 13 years old just having a “real job” means that you are a success when compared to your peers. But success can, and did carry over into hobbies, school, sports, religion, relationships, and interests. That small budding seed that I had within me grew through the years into a pattern of success that has long since continued in my life. www.BrianTracy.com (read or see his similar story in “Many Miles To Go)
What I learned is that creating a pattern of success is possible for anyone. Just because individuals may not have had the opportunity to develop that habit doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. How many of us know people that we refer to “late bloomers” or recognize the successes of those who don’t do their best work until they are older in life? Success patterns may not have existed because individuals may not have been given the opportunity, experienced set backs, or they have not been mentored. If you see someone who needs assistance, guidance, direction, or words of encouragement, invest in that person so that they can create their own pattern of success. It will cascade and you may find yourself impacting many others, influencing perhaps generations of individuals.
Putting groceries on the shelf provided a sense of purpose, and created a pride of ownership in what I was doing. It made me feel good inside to know that I had done a good job. I didn’t just do it for the money. And, while I am sure that I received recognition from the boss from time to time, nothing specifically stands out as to anything he said to me along those lines. What I do remember is that the sense of dignity I acquired came from within–not from an outside source.
While we can be successful based on what others say, the true measure of success comes from within. President Reagan said that the “best social program on earth is a job.” He may have been referring to the financial rewards associated with work, but I believe he meant the feeling that comes from within that provides a sense of worth. I was proud of the effort I put in and it made me a better person. If you know others who harbor doubts about their own abilities, give them the tools and encouragement they need so that they too can be successful. Like most successes, nothing happens overnight. Over time, success will develop and it will become stronger, and far more certain when it comes from within.
I remember dealing with coworkers who were much older than me and being treated as a peer. At that age you deal with people who are either your superiors (parents, teachers and the like) or friends, usually in the same age range, who are peers. The whole concept of being equal with someone far older than you was at first a shock, then it became a matter of fact. Your view of the world changes when something extraordinary like this happens. You make the leap to adulthood.
The lesson I learned that I can pass on is that you have to have respect for yourself first, and then others will come to respect you. Respect is earned, not granted. I took my job seriously and demonstrated respect for myself by showing up on time and doing the best job I was capable of doing. When my coworkers saw that I was able and could demonstrate through word, action, and deed that I was taking the job seriously, they took me seriously.
I stayed at that first job for two years, learning more lessons along the way. But creating and nourishing a pattern of success in life, creating a strong sense of self worth, and developing respect for myself have been at the core of who I am today. The same foundations exist for strong and flourishing organizations and the people who work in them.
Ken Keller, 661.295.6892
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