Getting Up the Day After

There can’t be anything more annoying than having to work the day after. After what? It doesn’t matter. Could’ve been a wedding, a family get-together, a party, a show, a big meeting, a product launch, a Grand Opening, all that does is the nagging pain in your head and the desire to get more sleep.

But, when we concede to our desire to relax, we make a fatal mistake, break the antique dish. You’ll soon see what I mean…

After the retreat from Stoney Creek a week or so previous, the American forces met up with Major General Morgan Lewis’s reinforcements. But they didn’t have time to make use of them. British commander Captain Sir James Lucas Yeo of the Royal Navy started bombarding the American forces and, with the help of native allies and Canadian militiamen, pushed the Americans back to Fort George. Over 230 Americans were captured, injured or killed.

The big lesson from this is the Americans, who’d suffered a devastating and unnecessary defeat a week previous, nearly reassembled as if nothing had happened. Only the British follow-up really pushed them back.

Many times we get complacent after something works out. We say, “we did it! Hooray!” And though there’s nothing wrong with that, complacency is where we mess up.

When you’ve done something well, be like Captain Yeo. Follow up. You won’t want to; you’ll want to party and enjoying your success. But your victory will turn to a frustrating loss if you’re not careful. The art of getting things done is only bettered by the art of making sure they’re ACTUALLY done afterwards. Results and endings are all that people remember and, therefore, all that matter.

Make sure you make yours a good one.

Alex H.

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Step in the Fresh Snow

 

How’s it going Ladies and Gentlemen?

 

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for success advice from the greats. Today we’re going to talk about being a leader.

Now I don’t know how it is on your side of the world, but in Canada, where I live anyways, it’s pretty white − you know, a “Winter Wonderland”?

Anyways, one of the cool things about snow is that you can see the footprints of every person who’s stepped in it (providing the wind hasn’t blown it, it’s melted, or more snow’s fallen on top of it). For the continued quality of the footprints imprinted in it, few ground-covers can compete − I mean, grass certainly can’t, mud gets too messy and sand gets disgruntled too easily.

Well, there’s something else you can tell about snow − a lot of people walk in the same steps of those before them.

Why?

Well, my theory is it’s easier, and doesn’t get your shoes as snowed up. You see, with snow being so capable of keeping an impression it also makes it harder to make the impression − you know, you get what you step for, or something along those lines.

So sometimes there’re areas of sidewalk that turn into ice so much snow has been compounded while other areas are untouched.

Now, before you have me set as nature-obsessed, here’s my point: true leaders are the ones who step in the snowy areas. They know it might take more effort but they also know they get the benefit of seeing only their print in the snow (the more specialized your knowledge or skill is, the more people are willing to recognise and pay you). As Arnold Schwarzenegger says (in that awesome Austrian accent), “high risk, high gain”. And, as a plus, leaders avoid the ice, those areas that look well-worn and safe but hide heartbreak (a boring lifestyle, high debt, an unsatisfying relationship).

Take the jump, step in the fresh snow!

Alex H.

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Check out my latest writing project at inspirehalton.blogspot.com