Business Teaches Life Lessons
In Life Time Fitness we have a mantra that states "we don't chose who we serve, but we do chose how we serve." As much as I hate to admit it the best lessons I've had in life have come from working with and serving people that, at that moment may not be the easiest to work with.
Lady yelling at me because she can't believe we don't just build another facility so she doesn't have to get in early to her group fitness class, thank you for helping me strengthen my patience, my listening skills and my ability to take my emotions out of a heated situation.
Guy masturbating in your car in the parking lot. Thanks for teaching me that no matter how long I've been in business there are still things that shock me. You also gave me another opportunity to work with local law enforcement and see once again that there are great men and women in law enforcement that deal with more crazy things than I do.
Each interaction I have in business either teaches me lessons that improve my life or reinforces concepts that keep me grounded in strong principles.
Business is Inherently Good
You have skills, talents and abilities that you put to work and in return you trade your time, skills, service or product for a commodity. Maybe you trade your time, your medical knowledge, your skill as a fitness trainer, a product you made or your knowledge of the economy for money. Somewhere, someone benefits from what you do and you get paid. If you are providing little to no value your payments go backwards or stop completely.
Your job, regardless of whether you clean a toilet, clean teeth or clean out someone's arteries is beneficial to society. You work hard and share something that someone else needs. The world revolves because of business. We each have a job, regardless of the size of our company - a company of one, a company of hundreds or a company of thousands that provides for our basic needs. Your job may not be glamorous, but if it provides a need for another person and puts money in your pocket for basic needs and wants it is a noble job.
Profits Are Not Evil
The idea that profit is evil really makes me laugh. Before judging me too harshly right now take a step back and follow a thought process with me.
Imagine for a moment that every day you woke up with the knowledge, skill and ability of a baby. You had no more emotional maturity than the previous day. You owned no possessions. Your intelligence was not increased. Every day you woke you had to figure out how to get food. Your life has no emotional, intellectual or property profit. You have no money, no tradable commodity, and your life is profit-less. Rough life right?
Profit is inherent in our nature. We were born to profit. The accumulation of knowledge, skill, emotional maturity, friendships, experiences and tradable commodities are hard wired into your basic nature. Profits are basically and fundamentally good. Profitable people can and do contribute to society. Profitable businesses continue to provide jobs for dozens, hundreds and even thousands of workers. Have you ever needed or wanted a job? Of course you have. The company that hired you was most likely able to do so because they were profitable.
Ok, ok, I can hear your contrary mind screaming out to me - but what about greed? When is enough enough? What about those that get profit by taking advantage of others?
Clearly, dishonest practices are not inherently good, whether they profit someone or not. Dishonesty can lead to a short term commodity profit. History is replete with stories however of the negative long term effects of dishonest practices. This point does not need debate.
How much is enough? What about the rich who just get richer? There seems to be a mentality that those who have figured out a way to aquire and then keep profits should have them taken away because they must have done something wrong to get them. Or, the other mantra is that the rich need to "give back" as if the time and effort they put into their job is giving nothing to society. The intelligent CEO has an ability to run a company that may put food on the tables of literally thousands of households. He has no value? She has an easy job? Spend two or three days in his or her shoes and then judge the value. Society vilifies them, but I see the corporate captains as intelligent and passionate people who do valuable work to help provide jobs, products and services that benefit the economy and ultimately you and I.
You've probably seen the pictures and heard the stories of "the greedy" sitting on thier piles of money while contrasting it with those that may be struggling and starving. The contrast implies that those who have are bad and that those who have not are good. Neither perspective is true. I've known several wealthy people and frankly I've never met the person that made and grew their wealth by being lazy. Most wealthy people are actually very disciplined, hard working and caring people.
Business Improves Mental Acuity and Expands Social Circles
One of the reasons I feel so blessed and so wealthy in life is because I have a job that pushes me mentally and constantly expands my social circle. Through business I've met people much smarter, much more talented and much better than I am. Their examples and strengths have fed me and made me a better person.
Business challenges have pushed my mental capacity. Juggling the demands of family life with a job that requires a significant amount of my waking hours has taught me how to prioritize, plan and ultimately distill my life down to the most important. Juggling the demands of managing the financial, the leadership development, the team member relational, the service, the marketing and sales and the cost management pieces of the business have pushed my mind and expanded my abilities.
Fear of Money Keeps You From Making More
One of the unfortunate downsides of our basic human nature is that when we see something we want, something we covet we have a tendency to tear down anyone that has it. Great sports star, talented musician, beautiful model, stylish businessman, adept professional driving the sports car you want? Deficiency mentality dictates we excuse ourselves for not having what we want by stating internally and possibly externally that the person who has our desire got it by means that are out of our reach. We "would never sell our soul like that person did" we tell ourselves. The reality is the person we are villifying probably didn't sell thier sould either. They just worked harder, found a way that works better and got a little lucky to get what they have.
One of the most rare personalities in our society is the person that builds the successful and the unsuccessful equally. The magnanimous person who can, without faking it sincerely compliment another person who has succeeded is the person who has overcome the basic, negative nature and is also the person who will be more likely to become more mentally, emotionally, socially and financially profitable.
Conclusion
Ultimately I believe that despite our duality the majority human beings are good. Those that acquire money and gain profits through hard work and providing services and products to society as a whole gather to not only improve their own life but to also improve the lives of those around them. Business provides a moral, ethical and inherently good format for an exchange of goods and services that enrich all of our lives. That's why I am not only comfortable in business, but am very happy and proud to work every day.
As I stated before I am under no illusion that greed can't and won't be present. We, as imperfect and fallible individuals can make poor choices. However, I believe business gives us the forum to not only profit financially but to also profit emotionally, socially and mentally. Some of my best friends, my most admired people in my life I've met through business. Business has pushed me to mentally improve and to constantly check my emotional strength, especially when things "aren't going right."
Be passionate. Be proud. Be positive.
***Thank you for taking time to read my blog. I love reading your feedback. Please leave me your comments below.****
