The little known secret of success

Refuse to join the “miserable by choice” people

“You had better live your best, 
think your best and do your best today – 
for today will soon be tomorrow 
and tomorrow will soon be forever.” 
A.P. Gouthey

He looked at me with a scowl and demanded that I go into his office. Just his look was intimidating, but when he added the gruff voice to it, I knew that for some unknown reason, I was in trouble. I didn’t know what I had done or why he was acting this way, but I figured that I should follow his directions and go into the office.

Working in the stock room of a major department store was my first real job. Because my dad helped me get the job I was determined to prove to him and to the store management that even though I was only seventeen, I could and would pull my share of the load. I got there early every day so that I could punch in and get a head start on the day, and if needed, I would stay late to finish the work that was started during the day.

Many days when I got there early, I would see some of my co-workers already there but just sitting in their cars in the parking lot waiting for the stroke of nine before they would punch in. These same people were the ones who would often line up by the punch clock and wait for five o’clock to punch out. They never hurried at anything. It seemed like they didn’t care about anything, except themselves. Often, when there were trucks to be unloaded, they would come get me to help them, and then they’d disappear until I had the job almost finished.

Back in the stock room manager’s office, he asked, “Did you know that people are talking about you?” He then continued, “They say that you are making them look bad, and I want it to stop.” I was unsure as to what he meant, so I asked, “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. I’m here early every day, and often I stay late to get the day’s work done. I’m even unloading trucks by myself when there is no one around to help me. I thought that I was doing what was expected of me and more. What do you want me to do?”

It was then that he said something that, even to this day, I still find hard to believe that he said it. “I want you to slow down and be more like us. You don’t have to hurry to do anything. It’ll still be here to do tomorrow. If you work too hard, you may put someone else’s job in danger. So I want you to just slow down.”

Well, that was the shortest and worst motivational seminar that I have ever attended. Can you imagine a manager wanting one of his best workers to slow down and be more like the deadwood that the department already had? It was while I was driving home that evening that I decided that I had to do more with my life and get a different career. I wasn’t going to let someone like that tell me just how I should apply enthusiasm to my life and my job.

Is this a rare occurrence? I would hope so, but unfortunately it isn’t. There are many people out there who are afraid of looking bad and not measuring up. We have all seen them. They are the ones who complain the loudest about things that they can’t change, they are always looking for ways to get out of work, they are the ones who will tell you just why something can’t be done or they never take responsibility for their actions. They spend more time and energy trying to get the other people to be like them so that they don’t have to work hard. What a shame when you see someone with great potential and they either are afraid to use it, or they don’t know how to access it. Often, all it takes is for them to tap into a little enthusiasm and many things can be accomplished. According to Dale Carnegie, enthusiasm is the little known secret to success.

Have you ever wondered how to generate instant enthusiasm? It’s really not that hard. Here are four ways to create enthusiasm, especially when you are having one of those days… you know the kind I mean.

1. Interrupt your thought process and ask yourself, “What is good about this situation?” Often, when we start to focus on the possibilities instead of the impossibilities, we will find ourselves asking why not, instead of why. When we ask ourselves better questions, we get better answers.
2. Concentrate on maintaining good posture. Even while you are sitting reading this message, sit back in your chair, straighten your spine, put your feet flat on the floor. This allows you to do the next way even easier.
3. Breathe deeply. When you really need a boost, take a second to take a few deep cleansing breaths. In through your nose and out through your mouth. This will make you feel better, and you’ll want to…
4. Smile. Many times when I do team-building workshops, I finish the day with an enthusiasm exercise. After a full day of training, many are tired and just want it to be over. The last thing that they are thinking about is their enthusiasm. When I come to the smile part of this exercise, I get them to put pen and paper down, sit up straight, take a few breaths and smile. No, not just smile but I ask them to give the most toothy, happy, widest smile that they can manage. I say that I’m going to time them for 10 seconds. Anyone that I see not smiling will cause me to reset the clock. I usually reset it anyway, just to make a point.

So this week, if you happen to be around people who are trying to drag you down to their level of lukewarm attitudes, determine that you will not go there. Remember that you and only you are in control over your own enthusiasm. When you refuse to join the “miserable by choice” people and act enthusiastically, before long, you will have made a positive impact on their attitudes, and you can move forward and accomplish much more than you ever expected.

Make this your best week ever.