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Core Values are Where Success Begins, Part 2

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They Will Help You Avoid Wandering

Core values are the foundation your life and business are built on. Last week I gave you a brief definition of what my first six core values mean to me. This week I’ll do the same thing with the final six.

Here are the final six:

Build the wall one brick at a time

A more common saying is to eat the elephant one bite at a time. Building the wall one brick at a time is the same thing. It’s just a more construction-focused message. When there is so much to do, it is easy to be pulled in many directions and to lose focus. It is important to concentrate on one thing at a time. Otherwise, we can become overwhelmed and unable to focus on any one thing well. It takes thousands of bricks to build a building, but we can only lay one brick at a time. Focus on that one next brick.

I have two ears and one mouth

It is important to be quiet and to listen to what others have to say. As I process information, I tend to think out loud, which is me talking. I need to remember to listen better and talk less. We are all in such a hurry and have so much going on in our heads that it can be hard to listen. This core value reminds me of the importance of slowing down and listening.

Avoid drama

Life is too short to get caught up in things that are out of our control and/or have no or little effect on what is truly important. Some people aren’t happy unless they have some drama going on. This means they want to pull everyone around them into the fray. Those of us who want to make things better can be pulled into these situations. Don’t be pulled in.

Be accountable

I am responsible for my actions, whatever they are. I have the power to make decisions and act accordingly. Choice is the one superpower that we all have. Too many times we choose not to use it. It’s easy to point the finger at someone else and not take the blame for things that are our fault. If it’s our fault we need to own it.

Take off the blinders, be more observant

Intentionally slow down and be observant. Look around and really SEE things. It can be hard to do this when there is so much to do. Being focused on work and projects is a good thing unless it becomes the only thing. You can be so focused that you miss out on other important things. I tend to get focused like this. That is why this is one of my core values. It reminds me of the importance of this.

Intentional action

This is the second most important one behind “honoring God in all that I do”. Nothing happens without action, and we need to be intentional about doing something. It can be hard to move forward when attempting to achieve perfection. It is important to stop thinking and talking about it, but rather take action and do it. A lack of action holds more people back than anything else. Action without being intentional can take us in the wrong direction if we aren’t careful. Too many times we get stuck looking for a guarantee that what we’re thinking about doing is right. Take intentional action.

And that is all of my core values.

I read through them at the start and end of each day. This helps me to continually build my business and life on a solid foundation.

If you would like to figure out what your core values are you can use the process for building your business on a solid foundation.

Another way to avoid wandering is having good business tools. We’re currently offering a free, customized construction proposal system to one lucky winner.

Here’s what you’ll win:

  • Tailored System: Built to match your unique business needs
  • Digital Tools & Templates: Easy-to-use resources to save you time
  • 1-on-1 Coaching: Weekly sessions to guide you step-by-step
  • Follow-up & Reviews: Stay on track with ongoing support

If you or someone you know would benefit from having a proposal system.

Enter the Giveaway Here

Core Values are Where Success Begins

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Without Them You Just Wander

The past several weeks we’ve been digging down in the dirt and discussing who you are. Who you are is the ground that your business is built on. That ground is what supports the foundation of your business. The foundation is your core values and principles.

Last week I shared the list of my core values with you. They are a collection of things that I’m naturally good at and some things…not as much. I’m constantly working on the things on this list to get better at them.

Here’s a brief definition of what these core values mean to me.

Honor God in all that I do

Because I believe that everything that I have or do, belongs to and comes from God, it is only right that I show my appreciation by giving Him the credit for everything. This is the one core value that all the others are supported by.

Make all I can, Save all I can, Give all I can

Often churches and religions preach that making money is wrong. I have struggled with this for years. Not making a profit is a sure way to lose a business. I think this quote from John Wesley is good advice and fits well with God’s word, “Money is not evil. What we do with it and how we handle it needs to align with God’s purpose.”

Spend time wisely, there is a limited amount

Time is similar to money, if it is viewed from the perspective of a zero-based budget. There is a limited amount of time each day. This means there is a limited number of things that we can spend time on each day. We choose where and how we will spend it. It is up to us to know what the most important things are and focus on them first.

Pay attention to detail

Details matter. Paying attention to details is the best way to circumvent problems. I remember a time early in my construction career when I was working for another contractor. He kept pushing me to go faster, which meant cutting some corners. It ended up that not paying attention to the details cost both of us time and money when we had to go back and redo the work.

Never be satisfied with mediocrity

Mediocrity is the minimum requirement to be average. God has called us to be above average. He has called us to excellence. Going above and beyond is where we set ourselves apart. It is where we accomplish the most. It is where we are working in our sweet spot. This is the place we were meant to be and the thing we were meant to do. Don’t be average.

Find and maintain the balance in everything

Balance is critical to living well. It is a constant lifelong quest. It affects all areas of life and is hard to maintain. I see balance as a large platform sitting centered on top of a small point. Without anything on the platform, it is level. When one thing is placed on top of the platform near the center, things go pretty well, and it stays relatively level. As more things are put on the platform (and things begin to be crowded from the center) it starts to get heavier in different areas. This causes the platform to lean. If one heavy thing or too many things are moved too far from the center, the platform will tip far enough that things fall off. Keeping things from falling off the platform is all about weight and location. Our lives are like this platform. God set our platform balanced perfectly on this point and given us the responsibility of keeping it there. The difficult part of this obligation is the number of things we get to choose from to put on our platform. The choices are endless. There is spiritual, family, work, friends, fun, community, etc. and each of these areas are full of an endless number of smaller things that we can put on our platform. Some things carry more weight than others. As we go through life, the things we have on our platform will and should change. FINDING AND MAINTAINING THE BALANCE of our platform is our responsibility. Will we be perfect at it? No. Can we learn and get better at it? YES!

To keep this post from getting too long, I’m splitting the list in two. Next week we’ll look at the last six of my core values.

Reviewing these core values regularly is a part of my daily routine. This helps keep me aware of them and reminds me to include them in everything I do.

If you don’t know what your core values are yet, go back to last week’s post and use the process for how to identify your business’s core values.

Ready to take the next step in aligning your business with your core values? To help you build a stronger foundation for your construction business, we’re offering a free, customized proposal system giveaway.

Here’s what you’ll win:

  • 4 training sessions to make setup simple
  • 3 follow-ups to perfect your proposals
  • Templates and documents to save you time

If you or someone you know would benefit from having a proposal system…

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Build Your Business on a Solid Foundation

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Your Core Values are the Building Blocks

Over the past several weeks we’ve discussed the importance of a solid foundation for building a successful business. We talked about the ground the foundation is set on is who you are and how you can know your why.

This week we’re going to go back to the foundation. We’re going to take a more detailed look at core values and how they work as the building blocks of your business’s foundation. 

Core values are your fundamental beliefs. They are your guiding principles.

It’s like your business conscience. It is who you are.

The definition of CORE is – the central or most important part of something. This is the most inner part of who you are. This is like your conscience. The deep down, on the inside, who God made you to be.

VALUES are – the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something; a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life. This is the part that you choose. How you want to be, how you will treat others, etc.

This doesn’t mean they are good. Some people’s values may be selfish or greedy, but regardless, we choose what values we will live by.

These are the non-negotiables. The things that, when faced with decisions, will help your business withstand earthquakes.

How to identify your business’s core values:

  1. Look at a list of values. Find a good, extensive and thorough list of values (like the one below) and start digging through it.
  2. Identify the ones that resonate. From the list, identify the ones that feel most important and mark it with a 1 for most important, 2 for somewhat important, and 3 for least important. Narrow down your number 1’s to six to eight values that feel like an absolute priority. To help you figure it out, ask yourself who a few people are that model what you inspire you, and look at your number 1’s to see what matches. 
  3. Know your heroes. You can also find your core values by thinking about your “heroes,” reflecting on what they embody, what they stand for, and how they embrace it.
  4. Notice your patterns. Being aware of your patterns that are healthy versus unhealthy can guide you in identifying your core values. You can learn about what you want and what doesn’t feel right to you in this process,
  5. Assess whether you’re happy. Ask yourself whether your experiences or choices are making you happy. If not, there are likely core values that aren’t being met in those decisions and situations.

Here is an abbreviated list of personal core values –

  1. Integrity
  2. Freedom
  3. Autonomy
  4. Justice
  5. Faith
  6. Success
  7. Wealth
  8. Grace
  9. Play
  10. Joy
  11. Balance
  12. Peace

Here is an abbreviated list of work core values –

  1. Clear direction
  2. Efficiency
  3. Dedication
  4. Growth
  5. Collaboration
  6. Creativity
  7. Research
  8. Professionalism
  9. Timeliness
  10. Quality
  11. Problem-solving
  12. Discipline

You can see the complete lists here.

My personal and business core values are the same. They are a collection of things that I’m naturally good at and some things…not so much. Things that I’m constantly working to get better at.

My core values are things that are in alignment with what I believe God wants from me and for me.

It’s hard to define your business’s core values if your business is more than just you. We are all individuals and recognizing this will make the process easier.

My Core Values—other than the first one—are in no specific order. Some you may recognize as quotes or common sayings. Others are things that I have modified in some way that are meaningful to me. And some I conceived on my own. All of them are values I hold high and strive to live out daily.

Here they are:

  1. Honor God in all that I do
  2. Make all I can, Save all I can, Give all I can
  3. Spend time wisely, there is a limited amount
  4. Pay attention to detail
  5. Never be satisfied with mediocrity
  6. Find and maintain the balance in everything
  7. Build the wall one brick at a time
  8. Remember that I have two ears and one mouth
  9. Avoid drama
  10. Be accountable
  11. Take off the blinders, be more observant
  12. Intentional action

Over the next couple of weeks, I will break down these core values and give you more insight into what they mean to me and how I try to live them daily.

Knowing Your Why is the Key to Unlocking Your Success

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How Do You Know When You’ve Found It?

The past couple of weeks we’ve been discussing the importance of building your business on a solid foundation and what this looks like. Last week, we explored how your why is what the foundation sits on and ways to find your why.

Your “why” is who you were made to be. It is your purpose.

Four questions that can help you find your why are –

  1. What makes you come alive?
  2. What are your innate strengths?
  3. Where do you add the greatest value?
  4. How will you measure your life?

In addition to these questions, I think a good way to determine if you have found your God given purpose is answering this question:

If you could do anything you wanted to…what would it be?

Time and money are not a restriction. You have all you need of both. You have the freedom to do anything you want. What would it be?

Let your mind go. Dream big. The sky is the limit. Don’t hold back. What is the one thing that would make you the happiest? The one thing that you would get the most enjoyment out of doing.

I think finding and living in this sweet spot is when you know you’ve found your why. When your vocation feels more like fun than work…you’ll know you’re where God intends for you to be.

I love helping people find solutions for building their dreams. Helping construction companies build better businesses. This is done with systems and training to achieve the success that they’re searching for. Helping construction customers build their dream project through construction and navigating the overwhelming process.

I love what I do so much that I would rather do this than anything else.

Another way to know you’ve found your “why” is when you’re working all the time. This is something that I used to struggle with. Often a workaholic is just someone who has found their why.

This is taking your why too far.

Earlier I told you to pretend time and money were not a restriction. Well, they are. This is why people who are doing what they love and doing it all the time need to put up some barriers.

I used to work late into the night and get up and do it again the next day. Day after day. The problem was that my family did not get the attention they should have.

That’s when I took some intentional action and scheduled family Sunday as a day of rest. Siblings, nieces, and nephews get together for lunch after church at Mom’s. Sunday evening is scheduled for family movie time. Friday is a scheduled lunch date with my wife.

Not only is time a restriction, but so is money. But, probably not in the way you would first expect. My money struggle is…I would do what I do for free. The problem is this isn’t a very good business plan. I’m continually reminding myself that I need revenue to pay the bills.

When you love what you do this much, you’ll know you’ve found your why. Loving what you do is the ground that your business is built on.

This is where your success will begin. Finding your why is the key to unlocking your success.

Building Your Business on Solid Ground

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Finding Your Why

Last week we discussed the importance of building your business on a good foundation. And, how this can help you withstand the trials of business.

We also talked about the importance of knowing what that foundation was built on. Is it dirt, sand, or rock?

This gets down to who you are and why are you in business?

The foundation (core value and mission) can be changed. But the ground you are building that business on can’t. This is who you are. Who God made you to be. When you align this purpose with your business you will be set for success.

Not knowing your “why” is one of the main reasons businesses struggle and fail.

German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once said, “He who has a why can endure any how.”

Knowing your why is an important first step in figuring out how to achieve the goals that excite you. This allows you to create a business you enjoy (versus merely surviving!).

Indeed, only when you know your ‘why’ will you find the courage to take the risks needed to get ahead, stay motivated when the chips are down, and move your business onto an entirely new and more rewarding trajectory.

So how do you find your “why”?

While there’s no one pathway for discovering your purpose, there are ways you can gain deeper insight. Your purpose is the intersection of your –

  • Talents
  • Skills/expertise
  • Passions
  • Values 

Here are four questions that can help you find your purpose that aligns with what you care about, what you can contribute, and what will be valued most:

  1. What makes you come alive? – The word inspire comes from the Latin, meaning “to breathe life into.” Accordingly, when you are working toward things that inspire you, it literally makes you feel more alive.  What makes you come alive isn’t referring to taking your dream holiday or watching your favorite team play football (unless you’re called to a career as a football coach or commentator!). It’s bigger than that. Something that’s bigger than you. Connecting with what you’re passionate about. Focusing your attention on endeavors that put a fire in your belly.
  2. What are your innate strengths? – A point at which natural talent and skill meets personal passion. When people are in their element they are not only more productive, but they add more value and enjoy more fulfilment. What are the things you’ve always been good at? You can also be passionate about things you have no natural talent for, and talented at things for which you hold little passion. We rarely aspire toward ambitions we have no natural talent to achieve.
  3. Where do you add the greatest value? – Knowing your greatest strengths and where you can add the most value can help you focus on where you are most likely to succeed. Too often we undervalue our strengths, skills and expertise. If you reframe the concept of adding value through the lens of solving problems, you can also ask yourself what problems you enjoy solving. What problems do you feel passionate about trying to solve?  You’ll then be more successful at focusing on your natural strengths and those things you’re innately good at rather than trying fix your weaknesses.
  4. How will you measure your life? – People who don’t stand for something easily fall for anything. Determining how you want to measure your life means taking a stand for something and then aligning your business with it. Living with purpose means focusing on things that matter most. Things that matter most are rarely “things.” Earning money and following your heart don’t have to be contradictory. No matter what your job is, you can draw meaning from it and find greater purpose through how you do what you do. If you don’t think you’re the kind of person you’d want to work with, it may not be the job, but your attitude toward it.

Knowing your “why” can compel you to take on challenges that will stretch and inspire you.

Your “why” is the ground that your business is built on. You need to know what that ground is and build the foundation accordingly.

Excerpts from: Do You Know Your “Why”?

A Successful Business Needs a Good Foundation

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What Supports That Foundation is Just as Important

Building something that will stand the test of time and the elements requires a solid foundation.

A building foundation is made up of two parts: the footing and the foundation. The footing creates an attachment point between the foundation and the soil. The role of the foundation is to support the building and help prevent settling.

The foundation is the base and support of any building structure. It transfers the load from the structure to the ground. It also provides resistance from external loads exerted on it.

If the foundation of a building is inadequate or not maintained…the building will collapse.

The foundation of a business is the same. It is who you are. These are the non-negotiables. The things that, when faced with decisions, will help you withstand earthquakes. Your business foundation consists of your core values and mission.

We discussed business core values back in August. Core values are your fundamental beliefs. They are your guiding principles. It’s like your business conscience. It’s the building blocks of your business foundation.

If the foundation of a business is inadequate, it can be changed.

A foundation is built. Depending on what it’s going to support determines how it should be built. The other thing that needs to be determined to build an adequate foundation is…what is the ground like?

Is it dirt, sand, or rock? This is the most important thing to know. It will determine what kind of foundation is needed to support the structure. If the foundation or the structure doesn’t match the ground…maybe you should build somewhere else.

The ground of your business (and life) is your purpose. It goes beyond who you are. It is who you were made to be. It is why you exist. You need to start by asking the questions.

Who am I? What is my purpose? Why am I here?

This takes some work and some digging. It isn’t an answer that’s going to magically appear. It’s like looking at the surface of the ground where you want to build a building. You won’t know what’s underneath without doing some work.

When it comes to knowing what’s below your surface, you need to ask, “why am I here?” Then like a small child curiously ask it again. And then ask it again and again and again.

This is where the foundation of your life and your business will be built. Don’t start building your business without knowing what kind of ground you’re building it on.

Knowing what supports the business (your purpose) is critical if it’s going to withstand the test of time and the storms that will come.

Your Construction Business Isn’t What You Expected

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Now What Are You Going to Do About It?

If you had known how hard it was going to be to own and operate your own construction business…you probably wouldn’t have done it.

It’s hard work, time-consuming, and risky.

The problem is that no one told you how hard it was going to be. Or, if they did, you didn’t believe them.

This isn’t to say that it’s not worth it…because it can be.

The problem is being faced with things like –

  • Finding the time to do the physical construction and the paperwork
  • Constantly feeling like your life is out of control
  • Construction projects behind schedule
  • Not having enough money to pay the bills
  • Construction projects going over budget
  • Disappointed and upset customers
  • Misunderstandings with customers and production teams

And not knowing what to do about these problems.

If you work in the construction industry, you’ve probably experienced some or all of these things.

So, what are you going to do?

Are you going to just keep plodding along, hoping that something is going to change? You know the definition of insanity is “Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”

If you want different results, you’re going to have to do something different.

The question is…what are YOU going to do? Are you going to continue living in the current insanity or are you going to do something different? What you know about the crazy mess that you find yourself going through daily seems less scary than the unknown.

New and different is scary.

Deciding to do something different is the first and hardest step in a series of hard steps.

If you want to stay in business you need to take this hard step. You need to DO SOMETHING. Otherwise, you will eventually go out of business.

You need a change of perspective. Some new and different ways of doing things.

As scary as this is, it can be less scary than going out of business.

What you need is someone to help you with this. You need someone who has been there and done that to guide you through finding the solutions you need.

This doesn’t mean that it’s going to be simple or easy. Building a new building isn’t simple and easy.

When you started working in the construction industry you didn’t know what you know now. Building a business is the same way.

Someone taught, trained, and helped you to learn your construction trade. What you need now is someone to teach, train, and help you to learn how to build a construction company. This teaching, training, and help is available for you at Solution Building. We’ve been where you are and would love to help you with our forty plus years of experience. If you have questions about how we can help, you can set up a free, 30-minute construction company consultation.

Keep Your Business Balanced and Supported

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An Out-Of-Balance Business is Like a Short-Legged Table

Have you ever felt like your business and/or your life were out-of-balance? This is a common situation with self-employed companies. It’s like a three-legged table with one short leg…kind of wobbly.  

I know I’ve felt this way and sometimes still do. You’ve probably heard the saying feast or famine. This saying is used quite often in the building industry.  

Balance time and money

It refers to the common problem of having too much to do. Or worrying about how you are going to pay the bills if you don’t get some work soon.  

Sometimes this is caused by situations beyond our control. The economy, the weather, or some other external force. More often than not it is an out-of-balance business. It’s wobbly like a table with one short leg.  

Most of us that are self-employed started out by learning our trade as an apprentice, working for someone else. I know this is how I got started.  

The problem with this is that while I learned how to build a building, I wasn’t taught how to build a company.  

After years of struggling and learning things the hard way—paying the expensive tuition to the school of hard knocks—I’m still not close to graduating yet. 

This became apparent this past week. I realized that I was not maintaining balance in the business. I was letting things distract me and not being intentional about what I was doing. 

One of the things that I implemented years ago was having a different focus for each day of the week. I had been neglecting this. So, I was intentional this week to focus on the specific focus for that day. It was a productive week. 

Keeping the business balanced and supported is an ongoing process. 

I was reminded that my business is like a three-legged table.  When all the legs are the same length, it helps provide a level, sturdy platform for my company to sit on.  

When any one or two of them are short, the table starts leaning. If it leans too far the company will slide off.  

It’s never good when a company crashes to the floor. 

The three legs of the table are: 

1 – Sales/Marketing – Searching for and finding customers that you can help. Sharing about your service and/or product through word-of-mouth, advertising and awareness. Meeting with potential customers, determining what they want/need and preparation of estimates, proposals, and contracts. 

2 – Production – Organizing, scheduling and maintaining projects or products. Determining who the right people are to perform specific tasks. Knowing the parts that are needed and making sure they fit. Maintaining communication between all parties involved. 

3 – Administration/finance – The preparation of documents needed to communicate, track, and record all aspects of the business. The filling out and filing of income, expense, banking, and tax papers. This leg is one of the easiest for ‘tradespeople’ to neglect.  

When any one of these legs get short, it can really cause the whole table to lean. 

The tabletop is the big picture: planning and organizing. It’s what connects the three separate legs. It’s easy to give too much attention to one or two legs and forget the other.  

Getting so focused on the production of a project that we forget to follow-up with a new customer. Or working so hard on preparing proposals that we forget to invoice. Or even working so diligently on tracking expenses that we don’t leave enough time to work on the construction project.  

There is no perfect answer to keep the table from ever leaning.  

The most important thing is to realize that it can happen and to continually work to keep the table balanced.  

Updated from a previous post 4/30/16 

What Should Be Done First?

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It’s Amazing How Clear Things Become With Limited Time

There are so many things trying to get on the “to do” list and each one is competing for the top position. Deciding which one should get the number one spot is tough. There are so many important things that we need or want to do.

The past few weeks have been crazy trying to keep up. You might have gathered that from last week’s post about the runaway train.

It’s easy to say that we have limited time, but it’s hard to schedule that way.

Several years ago, I had a computer with a battery that was not lasting as long as it had when it was new. One day while working out of the office, without the power cord, I had 2-3 things that I needed to get done before the computer shut down.

This limited time forced me to sort and prioritize.

How do we decide what to say yes to?

Emergency situations often require triage. This is the process of prioritizing patients’ treatments based on the severity of their condition and the resources available. In these situations, victims are divided into three categories:

  • Those who are likely to live, regardless of what care they receive.
  • Those who are unlikely to live, regardless of what care they receive.
  • Those for whom immediate care might make a positive difference in outcome.

These choices aren’t easy and often require a quick “gut decision”. A pre-determined system, training, and experience aid in the process. This provides for the greatest number of survivors.

Another life and death choice is deciding who gets a transplant when there are a limited number of organ donations available. Take for example a set of twins who both need a liver transplant, and their father has only one to give.

Which little girl gets it?

The early thoughts of a father would be to give half to each. The problem with this is that half would help neither. The final decision will be determined by which one needs it most or which one is most likely to survive.

Most of the choices that we make in business aren’t this critical…or are they? Decisions we make can mean life or death for our business.

In medical life or death situations, there is a system and plan in place beforehand. This same type of system should be implemented in our business. We should predetermine how we are going to choose the most important thing for the life of our business. This is where things get hard.

What should be the highest priority? Should it be production or proposals, record keeping or customer service, marketing or staff? We’re faced with tough decisions in business every day.

What makes one thing more important than another?

I can’t answer this question for you. Are you tired of struggling with this dilemma? Having the right business BUILDing tools and training can help you be better prepared for business “triage”.

If you would like to give your business a better chance of survival, schedule a free 30-minute coaching call.

This is a revision of a previous post on Nov. 3, 2019.

Riding on a Runaway Train

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Getting Control of Your Busy Life

For years I’ve used the example of a runaway train as a comparison to my busy, on-the-go, overscheduled, out-of-control life. It’s like I am riding on a speeding train of which I’m supposed to be in control.

The problem is, instead of being seated comfortably in the engine car at the front, I am barely hanging onto the ladder on the back of the caboose, trying to not fall off. The train keeps speeding along, with no way for me to get control from the caboose.

I start pulling my way forward, one train car at a time. First through one, then another, then even a third. Look at me, I’m making some real progress here. It won’t be long now and I will have this train back under control.

Then—wouldn’t you know it—the train hits a bump. I lose my grip and catch the caboose as it goes by. Now I get to start clawing my way back toward the front all over again.

How am I ever going to get this crazy train called life under control?

Runaway train

If you’ve ever felt like this, then here are some ideas that might help:

            Have a plan – This is where gaining control starts. How are you going to make it to the engine? The key is to not quit. Don’t ever let go of your train unless you’re dead. As long as you are still alive, you can do something about your situation. You need to be intentional about how you want your train to operate.

            Review the past – Look back at what has worked and what hasn’t. What was it that caused you to lose your grip from the train? Determining this will help you to know how to hold on as you move forward next time.

            Find your purpose – God has given each of us specific talents that fit who we are created to be. It is up to us to find out what they are and put them to good use. This determines who we are and what kind of train we have. Is it a freight train? A passenger train? Or maybe something different?

            Don’t overload your train – Once you have determined what kind of train you’re on, you can decide what kind of cars it should have. Most likely there are some that will need to be disconnected and left behind. Overloading your train is a very common problem. Most of us think we have a ‘super train’ that can pull as many cars as we hook onto it. It’s okay if we don’t pull them all. They might fit in someone else’s train better or are just a waste of good fuel. Who knows, maybe you will need to add some different cars. The important thing is to know how many are too many and which ones don’t belong.

            Get help from other trains – Sometimes when our trains are overloaded there are others that can help us with our load. Maybe they can give us a push, a pull, or take some of our cars. It’s okay to get help. Our train isn’t the only one. If we get our load right, then we are better prepared to help other trains when they need help.

In this world, there is no such thing as a perfect train. We will never have complete control or a ride without any bumps. What is important is to not give up or quit. Keep working to make your train better. Be aware and understand what your train should be.

Work every day to make your train the best train it can be and remember, ENJOY THE RIDE!

This post is reworked from my previous post on June 16, 2016.