Long-term Success by Hank

I love talking to people. Through the years and over my travels, I have met people of all ages, and from all over the world. I feel very lucky, because I have heard some amazingly cool stories, which have helped to shape my appreciation for people who do great things. As a matter of fact, many of these same stories directly inspired the creation of this very website.

I was talking to my Grandfather a little while ago, and he told me about how he was offered the opportunity to play football in his youth. He was big and fast, but since he only had a grade school education, he had to forgo possible fame and fortune in favor of helping his family, working, and eventually raising kids of his own. Though there were definitely glimmers of sorrow for the glory he might have missed, his pride in his family’s accomplishments was unmistakable. He worked without rest to make sure his family had every opportunity, and his efforts have been rewarded by their on-going accomplishments.

During our conversation, I remembered a quote that I’d read once in school: “Humanity has only two paths to immortality- progeny, and legend.” Of course, people live on through their kids, but what kind of memories are they leaving behind? You can’t always be sure how your kids will turn out, but you can shape what kind impression you leave behind.

Every action and inaction we take dictates how much flexibility we will have later in life. In the case of my Grandfather, because he was unable to go to school, he could not later take advantage of the unexpected football opportunity he was offered later. This scenario is universal. If unprepared, people can find themselves painted into a corner… by self-doubt, poor decision-making, and by their failure to prepare and execute any long-term goals.

Every day, media outlets display terrible stories of people losing their fortunes, many because they have forgotten the simple children’s fable about the ant and the grasshopper:

The ant works to store food during the warm months, while the grasshopper frolics with friends and fiddles, even ridiculing the ant for being square and missing out on the fun. When the winter comes, the grasshopper has no food or shelter, while the ant is content to ride out the winter in his underground home, warm, happy and worry-free. The ant prepared for the long term, while the grasshopper spent his time recklessly and foolishly.

Success must be desired, planned for, and maintained. It should never be unexpected (you are working for it after all). 

            Success must be nurtured like a living thing. In many ways, it is like a child. As with flesh and blood children, your actions will have a direct effect on how your success grows. You must guide your success, and if you are a good parent, your success, like grateful descendants, will tell stories of your actions long after your time here has passed, as will certainly be the case with my great Grandfather. 

Are you practicing your craft, and getting steadily better?

Are you protecting your reputation?

Are you learning as much as you can?

Are you surrounding yourself with positive people?

Are you saving any of your income, or constantly making it rain at the club?

Are you planning for the long term, or are you spending money like an iced-out grasshopper?

Success can be a wonderful companion or a cruel mistress: wonderful if you can keep your head, but vicious if you’re not disciplined enough to handle her whimsicality.- Hank

The ability to discipline yourself… to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term… is the indispensable pre-requisite for success. - Brian Tracy

You must have long term goals to keep you from being frustrated by
short term failure.- Charles C. Noble

One step at a time is enough for me.  Impatience is simply a way 
of beating yourself up. - Susan Jeffers 

We invite ANY success-driven individuals (entrepreneurs, musicians, artists, students, etc.) to share their stories for the inspiration of other such individuals. Send to huhblog@gmail.com. Thanks!