Work Harder On Yourself Than On Your Job

Success Pillar 1 - Work Harder On Yourself Than On Your Job June 28, 2007

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From the desk of Damien Dupont

As a Success University member, every month I receive an audio CD as well as a DVD shipped to me along with SU’s monthly “Success Express” newsletter.

In May 2007, the audio CD included was Jim Rohn’s and Chris Widener’s “Twelve Pillars of Success”.

The next 5 posts, in sequence, are my personal summary and review of the first five pillars of Jim Rohn’s “12 Pillars of Success”. They are set in the same context of Jim and Chris’ story about two fictional characters, Michael and Charlie, whom they use to illustrate the 12 fundamental principles to achieve Success in Life. Their story is also available in novel form.

Let’s get into it…

Our story begins with Michael driving on a country back road on his way to a sales call when his car breaks down. As he bemoans the situation with his cruddy car, his thoughts start to run through all the other things about his life that aren’t going as he would like.

He laments the poor state of his relationship to his wife of 15 years, Amy; to his lack of communication with his two children; to his job which he loathes along with his pitiful $40K p/yr income… with no upside! Definitely not the situation he had envisioned for his life at 40yrs of age. He and his wife Amy had such big dreams and aspirations for their lives when they left college.

Michael’s mind returns to reality and his need to get his car fixed. He alights from his car, but with no homes in site, looks up and down the road trying to decide which direction to take. Michael eyes a bend in the road ahead, and decides to head in that direction in case there happens to be something around the bend that he can’t see.

He sets out. As he reaches the bend he observes a large house just up the road. He gapes at the size of it. This is something akin to what he had seen before on TV and in magazines, but never had he seen such a property in real life.

Before him was an expansive wrought iron and brick fence which extended at least 150 metres (500ft) hugging the contour of the road, and some way down the fence stood an imposing 3 metre (10ft) high gated entrance. Behind the fence was a large house that he thought must cover an area greater than 1,000 square metres (10,000 sq feet).

The home was a white plantation style, and it was fronted with twelve two storey columns. Michael then noticed the sign next to the gate which read “Twelve Pillars”. “It figures”, he thought to himself.

As he was gazing at the property before him, he noticed an elderly man in pale overalls coming out from what appeared to be a workshop to the right of the drive way. The man came toward Michael and offered “Can I help you young man?”.

Michael explained the situation with his car and asked for a phone so he could call a roadside assist service, but the old man volunteered to check his car for him first. “Charlie’s my name” he said, as the two men introduced each other and shook hands.

As the two men both made their way down the road to Michael’s car, Charlie inquired as to what business he was in. “Sales”, Michael answered. “Are you making a good living with that” Charlie explored, “No, not really” Michael responded. As they walked Charlie continued the conversation asking whether Michael was married and if he had any children. “Yes, I am married. With two children”, Michael replied.

Reaching the car and popping the hood, Charlie started checking into the maze of wires to see what might be the problem before trying the ignition, and finally coming to the conclusion “My guess is that your fuel gauge is stuck and that you’re simply out of gas. Let’s go back to my workshop where I’ll be able to fix you up with some gas and we’ll see how that goes”.

As they walked back to the house, Michael asked about the owner of the house, to which Charlie replied: “A certain Mr Davis owns that house. He had it built 20 years ago with his wife. He’s a very successful business man. Has his hands in lots of things”.

Michael marvelled at the scale of the estate, as Charlie explained that the main house covered 1,300 square metres (14,000 sq foot), had a further 140 square metre (1,500 sq foot) guest cottage behind it, as well as a pool and pool house which covered a further 370 square metres (4000 sq foot).

“He must be a wealthy man” Michael uttered. “Indeed he is” Charlie said, “but Mr Davis isn’t just about financial wealth. He prides himself on being successful in all areas of life. Life is far more than just money”.

“Easy to say if you’ve got it”, Michael retorted. “I can appreciate that”, Charlie said, “but Mr Davis was successful well before he became wealthy”.

Charlie went on to explain that each of the twelve pillars in front of the house represents a distinctive area of success that Mr Davis believes is necessary for a balanced and successful life. He explained that Mr Davis had the house built this way to correspond to his philosophy on life.

They made their way through the front gate of “Twelve Pillars” and down the right to Charlie’s workshop. “Can I offer you some coffee”, Charlie proposed. “I just brewed a fresh pot before I spotted you out front”. As they stopped to share some more conversation over coffee, Michael gazed again over the grounds and remarked “Man I wish I were able to be this fortunate”. “I’m confident you could be if you really desired to”, Charlie replied.

“Well the past 18 years I’ve sure done my best and it doesn’t seem to have come to much”, Michael lamented. “I’ve worked so hard – harder than anyone I know. Long hours, overtime, everything”.

“Maybe that’s your problem?” Charlie replied. “Remember those twelve pillars of success that I told you Mr Davis holds firm to? Well…

Mr Davis has always maintained that the first pillar of success is to ensure that you work harder on yourself than you do on your job. Personal development always comes first. He believes that success comes when you grow yourself beyond where you currently are. So we need to focus on working harder on ourselves, and on improving ourselves, as opposed to working harder at our job”.

“Hmm… maybe?” Michael responded. “But I was always taught that if you keep your nose to the grindstone and work hard, that you’ll eventually achieve your goals. Isn’t that true?”

“Well, not necessarily”, Charlie replied. “Most people’s career and salary tend to correspond to the level of skill they have. So it doesn’t matter so much how hard you work, if you stay at the same skill level, you won’t go beyond the corresponding level of pay and promotion”.

“So what do I do to get ahead”, Michael countered. “You begin by working on yourself” Charlie answered. “Look. You work as a salesman, right? Your key to making progress doesn’t lie in your putting in a further 10 hours a week on your job. Rather, invest those 10 hours into improving your skill level. Read books, listen to audio courses, study the best sales-people and attend seminars, and then… use and apply what you learn! Integrate what you learn into your work. In this way, you will improve your results from the same number of sales calls because you will be a better salesman”.

Charlie had stimulated Michael’s thinking at this point. “So what else does Mr Davis say about personal development?”, Michael asked. “Well, he says many things” Charlie pondered. “Tell me more. I need as much help as I can get”. “Why do you need so much help?”, Charlie inquired.

This was all the prompting that Michael needed. His long-held internal frustrations were such that, unintentionally, he let out a brief release of all that was bothering him with his life. He explained how much he disliked his job; how he was unable to properly provide for his family; how he had lost intimacy with his wife and communication with his children; how he has worked so hard and yet just seemed to be spinning his wheels. His words spilled out so fast he even surprised himself.

Charlie paused for a moment reflectively, glanced up at the ceiling, and then raised his right finger with a thought. “I’ve heard Mr Davis explain that all life form appears to stretch to its maximum with the exception of human beings. Think about how tall a tree grows. It grows as tall as it possibly can. We humans however, have been given the power of choice. We can choose to be more or we can choose to be less. Why not stretch yourself to the full measure of the challenge and see what you can achieve”?

“Man I have tried for 18 years”, Michael objected.

“I’m not suggesting otherwise. But it appears to me that you’ve worked so hard, and yet found that you’re still stuck, and that perhaps you have given up a little? Maybe it’s time to re-assess, stretch and grow again?” Charlie suggested.

The two men sat in silence for a moment before Charlie arose and headed to the back of the workshop to fetch a jerry can. After filling it, the two men returned to Michael’s car and, sure enough, it was the gas meter that was a fault. Michael was set to be on his way again.

Before he headed off, Charlie tapped on the driver’s side window, and Michael wound it down. “You really want to change things for yourself and your family, don’t you?”. “Yes I really do”, Michael responded.

Charlie answered:

“Mr Davis says that the only way things are really going to change for you is when you change. What are you going to change that will in turn change your life? If you keep on living life the way you are now, you will continue to produce the same results and life that you already have. That’s the way it works.”

“Take some time to ponder this Michael. You’re welcome to drop in anytime, and if you do I’ll be happy to tell you more about Mr Davis’ pillars of success”.

Charlie handed Michael a business card which just had his name “Charlie” inscribed upon it. “That number is for my workshop. Feel free to call me anytime”. With this Michael thanked him, and was on his way.

Click the following link to navigate to Jim Rohn’s Second Success Pillar: How To Live A Life of Total Wellness.

Postscript: If you wish to read up on all of Jim Rohn’s and Chris Widener’s “Twelve Pillars of Success”, you can get their book. Alternatively, you can join Success University via the following 14 Day $2 Trial offer page.

Jim Rohn is the primary instructor of the Success University Weekly Success Plan. Jim’s comprehensive plan covers personal development, wealth creation, health, leadership, increasing your memory, a speed reading course, and much more.

Jim’s Success Plan also includes the Twelve Pillars of Success, fifty two weekly email trainings, a 500+ page downloadable workbook, as well as 12 monthly conference calls with guests including Zig Ziglar and Loral Langemeier.

Jim Rohn’s Success Plan has a retail value of $1,101, and I cannot recommend it more highly.

I’ll be posting my review of Jim and Chris’ second Success of Pillar in a couple of days.
Warmly,