Posts Tagged Cal Ripken
Consistently Excellent
Posted by enrique s in Motivation on August 26th, 2009
My cousin used to take on various side jobs to help pay the bills. When I was a teenager, he would recruit me to help out. In most cases, I didn’t have any skills required for the job, be it roofing, or putting up drywall. He used to joke, “You aren’t worth a damn, but at least you’re here.” I took that as a backhanded compliment. After a while, and a great many hours, I would pick up some useful skills, and I became more of an asset.
“80% of success is just showing up.” - Woody Allen
I’ve found that many of my accomplishments are the result of merely showing up. Put in enough time at something, and you’re guaranteed to pick up a few rudimentary skills. Your consistency in showing up helps in your mastery. This is the way that I learned how to shingle a roof, hang drywall, use a chainsaw, mop a floor, etc. The greater the amount of time spent on a task, the more mastery you gain in performing that task. Even if you’re not trying.
“Do or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda
But what if you were trying? What if you made the mastery of a task the goal, rather than just a necessary evil? Contrast learning to mop a floor in order to finish for the day, and learning to play a piano to become a virtuoso. People used to deride Cal Ripken for his games played streak, saying that all he did was show up for work. But he did more than just show up, didn’t he? He hit over 400 home runs, and had over 3,000 hits. Better than journeyman’s numbers, I believe. He appeared on 19 All-Star teams, and made the Hall of Fame. Which leads to the question…
…the chicken or the egg?
Did his showing up every day lead to his excellence? Or did his excellence allow him to be in the lineup every day? I think that although he set out to break the consecutive games record, that was a by-product of his pursuit of excellence on the baseball field. Ripken did more than just show up. He excelled.
Are you feeling stalled at work? Maybe instead of just showing up, you should follow your passion. Use your workday for the pursuit of excellence. It will make a difference.
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How Long Have You Been At Your Current Job?
My company has an intranet home page where they post service milestones. One of the guys who was featured this week has hit the 40 year mark. FORTY YEARS AT ONE COMPANY! Wow. These guys must be as rare as 300-game winners in baseball. It’s like Cal Ripken playing his entire career with the Orioles. I guess I should applaud his longevity. But when I see people who hit these milestones, I think to myself, “What’s WRONG with this guy? Hasn’t he ever taken a chance on something new?”
Why move around?
Now, I’ve been working a lot less than 40 years, and I’ve worked for many companies in many different industries. I’ve learned new skills by jumping around, as each industry has its own nuances. Working for different bosses has exposed me to a variety of management styles. I’ve been able to glean the best practices of each company that’s employed me. I’m not saying that my career path is for everyone, but I think variety is the spice of life. Working for one company only exposes you to one point of view. In order for a baby bird to fly, it needs to leave the nest. To grow professionally, eventually you need to change jobs. Otherwise, you’ll become a one-trick pony and stagnate.
Spreading my wings
You could argue that while I’ve changed companies throughout my career, I’ve stayed in the same field. True, to a certain extent. But each job that I’ve held was a departure from the previous job’s procedures, responsibilities, managers, coworkers, and customers. Not to mention friends. It’s a bit scary to leave your friends and start over as a stranger at a new job. But I think that I’ve helped the companies that I’ve joined by bringing a fresh perspective to their organization. Being an outsider, I could approach a problem from a different angle than everyone else. But not everyone will welcome your new ideas.
Who does this guy think he is?
If you try to share your successes at your new job, be prepared for some resistance. Everyone’s leery of the New Guy. They don’t know what your true intentions are. I’ve had some of my plans sabotaged by old-timers who wanted to see the New Guy fall on his face. So when you start out, remember to tread lightly. Nobody likes a showoff.
But we’ve always done it this way…
Even after you’ve been accepted by your new coworkers, you may still run into resistance. People like to stay in their comfort zones. I’ve heard “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” more times than I care to remember. Most people are resistant to any kind of change, even if it’s for the better. But keep at it. If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably inclined to embrace change. I say, do more than that. Become an agent of change.
How to survive the new job
I say, take the leap. Sure, you’ll be apprehensive. You’ll probably HATE your new job for at least a few weeks. I know that I did, many times. You won’t know the procedures, and you’ve been dropped into a new corporate culture. You may have a different lunch hour, or maybe you can’t talk on the phone. You’ll feel like a fish out of water. Even when I left a hellhole job, I missed my coworkers. It’s easy to second-guess your decision when you wind up eating lunch by yourself, knowing that your former colleagues are out enjoying Pizza Day.
Now, spread YOUR wings
But don’t let that feeling of unfamiliarity stop you from growing. If you want to make an omelet, you need to break a few eggs. Your career is the omelet. Your new job is one of the eggs. Or maybe it’s the onions and peppers. Whatever. My message is: DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE!
Or in forty years, YOU may be celebrating a one-company career.
Follow me on Twitter: CorpBarbarian
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