Are you a doer?

    This week I had the opportunity to visit with a beloved friend, who is a successful entrepreneur. Early on in his marriage and career, he realized that working for someone else was not for him. So he quit his job and ventured out on his own (in 1978). Through the years he has learned a lot and made a successful business that currently supports himself, some of his children, and many families that work for him. I have even spent time working for him! He is a wonderful man that I have really enjoyed learning from.

    We discussed that there are two kinds of people. Those that show up and those that do. This idea has caused me to ponder what kind of person I am. Am I a doer? Or one that just shows up? I would like to think that I am a doer, but I think I am a little bit of both. There are times that I just show up. Physically or emotionally, I am just spent from the challenges of life, so I just show up. There are other times that I can take the bull by the horns and get things done. I definitely need to improve my stamina to be more on the doer side.

    Another concept that we discussed that has caused me to ponder is watching and praying. He said that to be successful, you have to watch for what is coming and be flexible to adapt. Apple wouldn’t be nearly what it is if they didn’t watch and continue innovating. I saw this first hand in Dean’s company. When the pandemic first hit, his business took a large hit. No one was having surgery to need rehab supplies. I saw his business shift. They hired all the newly returned missionaries and put them to work making personal protective equipment for the hospitals. Dean and his team saw a need and adapted.

    I want to be like Dean when I grow up!