Is the Work Ethic a Lost Concept?

Seems to me that younger folks (some, not all) have no concept of what work ethic actually is.

People seem to be forgetting that it is a pay for performance world and this is not Major League Baseball!!

There are a number of people who instilled my work ethic in my life. Those people include my parents of course, my first baseball coach who took a bunch of "minor leaguers" and turned us into champs who could take on the "major leaguers" under the lights and kick their asses and my high school soccer coach.

Basically the message was the harder you work, the more reward. People who skate by will not get the bonuses and may not get the bigger raises. They certainly will not get the promotions!

Tenure in a position does NOT give you the right to be promoted. I'll promote a hard worker willing to learn over a person with twice the time in the position who is what I call a "banger" - the one who is in at 8 and out at 5 with no additional efforts.

Hell - I started delivering newspapers at age 11 and something as simple as putting a paper between the storm door and front door on a rainy day netted me HUNDREDS in Christmas tips - just for delivering a dry newspaper... sometimes it's the simple things.

People think I'm crazy to work as hard as I do, but I hope to God that I am able to show my kids that a little hard work can lead to great things!

I want to be an example to my kids and all the kids I have coached in the past years - I hope I live up to the legacy of the people who inspired me.

Lessons

Back from camping with my son. Big Cub Scout camping trip .. lots to do and he was wiped out after day 1 of a 2.5 day trip.

Monday sucked because it rained most of the day and some of the events were cancelled.

He's shy and anxious about certain things... doesn't really like big crowds so this was a good chance for him to get put into situations that he's not always comfortable with... I stuck close to him though - that comfort factor... sometimes I do just want to kick him into the middle of a situation and have him do for himself but overall he did very well...

Learned how to use a pocket knife properly, found out he was pretty good at archery and handled a couple of situations on his own.

Couple of meltdowns also which frustrated me a little bit (silly things), but he is coming along... I love you buddy and I hope things keep getting better... just have to keep working at it... you teach me new things every day and I see a lot of me in you at that age... I came around and I know you can and will too...

Your imagination is the thing I love most about you... the theme for the camp was right up your alley and your imagination was able to run with it...

Be confident pal... you will do great things... I just know it in my heart... I'm your dad and I want nothing more than for you to be confident in all that you do... just keep working at it... one day you will show yourself and see...

Wow - The Things I've Missed

Just went through some old posts... the things I could have been writing about...

Music - Les Paul, Ronnie James Dio, others passing

Old friends coming, going and coming again...

The return of Dee

Comings and goings at work - to acquisitions, hirings, firings...

I think I can do this... just have to remember - 2 or 3 times a week...

Been so Long...

Wow... it's been so long...

So much happening... so much to write... need to start doing it almost daily since the likes of Facebook and Twitter can't do justice to the things I have to/want to get off my chest...

Past comes back, present continues... past continues to haunt in some ways yet satisfies/pacifies in others...

Work has been hell - but still love it...

Home is trying, but can't leave it...

What a beautiful mess... can things get more interesting? Time will tell...