After the post from Thursday on supporting the locals, I read an article in a local publication describing the meat chain that recently setup shop in our neighborhood. The author described the chain as Goliath, and urged us to support David, the local butcher.
Being the inspired soon to be first time home owner, I decided to try my hands on barbecuing steak. I happily strolled down to the shop for the first time, bought a few slices of rib eye, asked a zillion questions just in case they didn’t spot me as a first time cook as I walked in and sang as I went home.
Emma was proud of me, but she pointed out that there was a dark spot on one of them when I pressed on for her opinion of the meat the shop chose for me. She explained that it’s probably been frozen for too long, but she comforted me by saying that it shouldn’t be that bad. We went on to barbecue the steak, and the meat, well… not so great.
Turns out the local business needs more than marketing and should improve their business model instead.
Don’t Always Blame Others
These stories are all around us. The big evil corporation coming into town. The young and energetic employee who is winning over all the superiors, or the other guy who seem to be just richer and luckier. There’s much we can blame, and jealousy is just a natural part of life. But if you just sit in front of your couch and complain all the time, you need to look within.
With the help of technology, the world is more informed. There are people who are working harder, smarter and they are willing to do it for less money than you. Business owners are able to more easily find them now, and unless you shape up, be prepared to lose out.
You aren’t entitled to find work just because you graduated. You aren’t entitled to a big house just because you have a job; and you aren’t entitled to a good retirement just for showing up. Maybe it was this way in America for many years, but be prepared for a new era where you might actually have to work for it.
Some people are just luckier and have more, but everyone can have more by putting in the effort. Some things come easy for some and not others, but everything becomes easier as you work at it. There are shortcuts alright, but even shortcuts takes time to accomplish.
I was very disappointed by that local business, but I realize that they aren’t entirely to blame. I’m a novice cook after all, and I too contributed to the outcome of those steaks. Both the local butcher shop and I should work hard at what we want to accomplish. But we better hurry. Emma will one day give up on me and barbecue them herself, and the local shop might go out of business if they are too lazy to improve.
There are free lunches in this world I believe, but you can probably get a bigger lunch if you show some effort. With some luck, you might not even need it to be free.
{ read the comments below or add one }
Giving something all your effort really shows when it comes down to it all. And if you failed, well technically you’ll have at least learned something new and gained some experience along the way so you can do better next time.
Effort shows, and will bail you out faster than any government agencies. At work, results matter the most, but someone who puts in the effort can sometimes be even more important than someone who are just smart.
Work hard.
Sometimes an effort is all that is required. I would rather make an effort at something and fail than make no effort at all.
All the answers that you need in your life come from within. To blame other people and then do nothing is simply foolish and will give you the crappy results you deserve.
Achieving anything of significance requires effort.
Cheers.
Brandon