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Issue # 58 |
To Your Success |
October 2009 |
"A decision is made with the brain. A commitment is made with the heart. Therefore, a commitment is much deeper and more binding than a decision."----- Nido Qubein HOT DOG MIKE Hello, After a full morning in my home office, pangs of hunger began sending strong 'feed me' signals that indicated it must be past lunchtime. It was one of those warm, sunny, spectacular autumn days that make you really appreciate being alive, so I put on a light jacket and headed off down Denman Street in the direction of English Bay in search of food. This is a culturally diverse part of town and Denman has no shortage of cool little ethnic restaurants, but this day called for something else. It had 'hot dog at the beach' written all over it! So I headed for the seawall in hopes of finding Mike, the most reliable hot dog vendor of the English Bay strip. My favorite is his oh so tasty jalepeno dog loaded with condiments and dripping with special sauces (I didn't say this was going to be a healthy lunch) and because I only allow myself these treats on occasion I was really looking forward to it. Now what you have to understand about the hot dog vending business, at least in these parts, is that it's seasonal ... very seasonal. On bright, sunny days from late spring through early fall the beach and seawall are teeming with a mixture of locals and tourists, and business is brisk. But when it's raining, or even cloudy and cool, the tourist traffic drops dramatically and so do sales. What this means is that in the shoulder seasons when the weather can turn several times in one day it's hit and miss whether any of the vendors will even set up shop. Sure enough though, Mike was there and open for business. We chatted while he prepared my order about how his season had been for him and what the coming months would bring. I commented on the fact that he seemed to be the only hot dog vender on the English Bay seawall that day and asked why that was. He proceeded to share with me his observations interspersed with his personal business philosophy. Mike explained to me that his business, although simple by nature, had many variables. He told me he was one of several hot dog vendors licensed for this area and that each was a completely independent owner operator making their own business decisions. He confirmed my belief that his business was seasonal and highly weather influenced. He told me how in high season, with the sun shining and tourists jamming the seawall, people frequently line up 5 and 10 deep waiting to place an order and he often works 12 - 14 hour days seven days a week for weeks on end, and in good years for months on end. I asked if his business provides him with an adequate living and he assured me it does, providing he works it smart and does all the things he knows he needs to do. Then he asked a question of me ... had I noticed that he was the only vendor on the seawall that day? I said yes. That's when he revealed the secret to his success. He shared with me how it feels at times, during the most desirable months of the year in this beautiful city, to be working when everyone else is playing and to have time to play only when it’s rainy or cold. But he also shared how he deliberately chooses an upbeat attitude, focusing on appreciation for the opportunity to have his own business and to meet people from around the world. He told me how he always keeps his eye on the bigger reward, that of having personal time and the freedom to travel during the worst of the winter months. He explained that after several consecutive sunny days most of the other vendors on the strip would frequently succumb to temptation and just not show up for a day or two. They'd made good money over those days and decided it was time to play. But not him, he said, not Mike. Mike knew that no matter how many sunny days in a row there might be, they were limited. He understood that sunny days don't last forever in this part of the world and that sunny days are the days for selling hot dogs. Mike talked about the commitment and self-discipline required to keep coming out day after day after day, especially when he really, really would 'have enjoyed a break. He talked about the importance of a bigger picture objective to focus on, something to provide the 'Why' that would justify his sacrifice, that would keep him committed and on track. He talked about the importance of never, ever losing sight of that. His eyes sparkled when he talked about these things. I could see his pride and feel his self-respect. Mike knew what he wanted from life, at least for now, and had figured out how to get it. More importantly, he was doing it. ... one of the best seminars I've ever attended.
To your success, "Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you've signed up for a season, see it through. You don't have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through."----- Jim Rohn
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