Take The Chance!

 

Fifteen years ago I took a leap of faith by starting my own business. Walking away from the security of a steady role wasn’t easy. I had been a wage earner, working for others, my entire career. I knew I wanted to build something that reflected my values and passion for helping businesses succeed. What began as a big risk quickly became one of the most rewarding journeys of my life. Well, maybe not exactly quickly, the first two years were crazy difficult. For that matter the first five were all pretty tough. I felt like we finally began to hit a stride by ten years, but it is still not easy.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with incredible clients, facing challenges head-on, and watching both my firm and the businesses we serve grow. Looking back, I’m grateful to have had the support of my wife, family, friends, my team and this community. I do not regret trusting my faith enough to take that first step.

Happy 15^th Anniversary to Blanton Advisors, LLC!

Patience and Preparation

We have become a very impatient people.  I should know because patience is a serious weakness of mine.  We are impatient in lines at the grocery store and when stuck in traffic.  We are impatient with doctors healing our illnesses and lawyers solving our problems.  We are impatient with our family and friends. Most importantly, we are impatient to achieve success.  Consider this quote…

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.”                           -       Robert H. Schuller

We do not want to spend the time it takes in preparation to achieve.  It does not matter what you want to achieve, it will require preparation.  Whether it is financial success, good grades, or athletic prowess, you must be willing to devote hours and hours of not so glamorous preparation.  It may not be fun, and it will be hard work, but the rewards of achievement can be spectacular!  Therefore, we cannot be impatient about it.

Impatience

In this day and age we have become very impatient people.  I should know because patience is a serious weakness of mine.  We are impatient in lines at the grocery store and in traffic (Traffic is the most difficult for me.)  We are impatient with doctors healing our illnesses and lawyers solving our problems.  On a bigger picture level, we are impatient to achieve, to achieve our goals and achieve our definitions of success.  We are focused on the destination and the outcome, not the journey or preparation.  Consider this quote…

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation”

Robert H. Schuller

The problem is that we do not want to spend the time it takes in preparation to achieve.  It does not matter what you want to achieve, it will require preparation.  Whether it is financial success, good grades or athletic prowess, you have to be willing to devote not so glamorous hours and hours of preparation.  Preparation may not be fun, but the rewards of achievement can be spectacular!  Try not to be so impatient. 

Life Balance

"We praise people who want balance in their lives, but reward those who work themselves to death."

-       Roy Neel

What a confusing message, the difference between who we praise and who we reward.  Roy Neel is the former Deputy Chief of Staff for President Clinton who quit that position to take a job that would allow him to spend more time with his family.  It really is funny the way we get things backwards in our society.  Neel saw that and did something about it.  Good for him.  We should all do what we can about these inconsistencies.  How can we expect our children to understand balance when we reward the opposite behavior?  How can we as adults feel good about choices that lead to balance if the rewards are based on different criteria?  In your own world, your home, your department, your company, think about the behavior you reward versus the behavior you praise.  Shouldn’t they be the same?