2020 New Year Resolutions

Start The Year Right!

This showed up on my reading list, and the words inspire me for this next year:

1. Bring value to the customer.
2. Provide 51% of the value in a relationship, whether its's with an employee, a client, or a stranger.
3. Always play the long game of lifetime value.
4. Smart work will never replace hard work; it only supplements it.
5. People are your most important commodity.
6. Patience matters.
7. Never be romantic about how you make your money.
8. Try to put yourself out of business daily.

-- Gary Vaynerchuk

(AKA "Gary Vee")

The first bullet jumped to my attention was #7, "never be romantic about how you make your money." My professional focus is changing to "Pick Rick" which identifies the different ways I can bring value to a customer. There is nothing particularly romantic about this approach.

The seventh bullet goes hand-in-hand with #1, "bring value to the customer." This is especially true for teaching and mentoring. Near the end of each training/mentoring session I ask if the client is satisfied with the pace and quality of knowledge.

Bullets 3 and 8 also go together. Each day I try to share as much knowledge as I can (#8) because when some needs something new they will come to me (#3)!

Another pair of bullets are #5 and #2 ("people are important" and "give 51%"). I sometimes argue the latter point: while you should aspire to give more in a relationship, you should nonetheless give 100% of your abilities.

(#4) I like how Gary doesn't shy away from work, whether it's smarter or harder. [Warning: Cliche ahead!] The bottom line is that you should roll up your proverbial sleeves, wade in and get your hands dirty regardless of the tasks at hand.

Finally, I want patience and I want it now. (#6) Yeah. Right. But patience does matter when you are working with other people. Give them the time and space to process change.

I found Gary Vee on YouTube videos, then searched for him as an author. I found a book from 2016 ("#ASKGARYVEE" by Gary Vaynerchuk)