When I was younger, I always seemed to gravitate towards breaking “the rules”. I never consciously thought about the impacts my decisions may have or who they might affect. Instead, I just dove headfirst into the moment without a care in the world. I was young, wild, free (and probably more than a bit naive). Consequences were merely an afterthought, and no one was going to tell me any different. My mantra was simple – “Rules? I don’t need no stinking rules…” As I grew older and began to add more and more experiences to my toolbox, I reflected on
We’ve all heard it a thousand times. “Follow the Golden Rule. Treat People Like You Would Like to be Treated.” This sentiment has been around since the dawn of time and is considered the cornerstone of many religions and businesses world-wide. In theory, this statement sounds wonderful. In reality though, it’s not. “So, what’s the problem with treating people like “you” want to be treated after all?” Fundamentally, we’re all different. What you believe is “good” may not be “good” for me, and vice versa. We all come from different backgrounds, have different work experiences, and as a result most
The world we live is a chaotic place filled with unique daily challenges that require us to make decisions. Some of these decisions will affect our lives directly and others will touch a larger group or population. In most cases, we improvise in the moment and react based upon our own unique set of life experiences. Our reactions are typically quick and to the point, but with little additional thought or consideration to the uniqueness of the situation at hand. It’s just how we’re wired. This type of decision making may work in 95% of the cases, but it won’t
For those that know me, it should come as no surprise that Iron Maiden is one of my favorite bands. I own every album they have ever released and have seen them live countless times all across the country. Maiden concerts are like no other, and the live experience with the fans, the band, and the music is second to none. Bruce Dickinson (frontman for Iron Maiden) was once quoted as saying that “Life is too short to do the things you don’t love doing”. Now this may seem cliché, but it’s clear that he personifies this belief every time he
As Steven Tyler of Aerosmith once said, “Anything that is worth doing is worth overdoing.” While this may be true in principal, it typically falls short of expectations in the retail sector relative to customer service. Here’s a recent example of an experience I had at a local retailer clearly illustrating my point. I recently walked into the XYZ convenience store and wanted to quickly buy an energy drink & a bottle of water prior to hitting the gym. The store was convenient and typically had the items I needed in stock and on-sale. As I was walking out to