As I continue to remodel my kitchen, there seems to be a reoccurring theme. Every time I move onto the next phase of the project, I realize something else about how the original house was built that I need to correct. Now before my contractor friends jump on me here, I do completely understand that my house is 30 years old and some things simply don’t last. However, many of the issues that I have had so far could have easily been avoided if the job was done correctly the first time.
The lesson here can be applied to any aspect of your life. If you do something right the first time instead of cutting corners, it will save you time, money and frustration in the future. This principle can be applied to building your business or career. The more time, money and effort you can invest now, the better off you will be down the road.
Instead of talking in hypotheticals, I want to give you a few examples from my own life. When I graduated college in May of 2009 (I can’t believe it’s been that long) I didn’t start my full time job until September. I could have taken it easy that summer since it was going to be my last full summer off. Instead I decided to study for the CPA exam and pass as many parts as I could before work started. I studied 8-10 hours every single day that summer and passed 3 parts of the exam before September. While I may not have had the “summer” I would have liked, that decision is still paying dividends today.
Another example came in February of 2012 when I decided to leave my job and start my own practice. I was working for a great company and was getting paid well for a 25 year old. When I left to start my business, I made under $1,000 in my first year. However, that sacrifice has allowed me to be where I am at today and I couldn’t be happier.
If you want to build something special that will last, do it right the first time. Whether that is starting a business, furthering your career or rebuilding your kitchen. If you put in the time/effort now and really focus on doing it right, I promise you will not regret that decision in the long term. If you have something you are working on or are considering in the near future, I would love to chat with you about that. I certainly do not have all the answers but I have been through a lot and would be happy to help any way I can. Have a great weekend and I will talk to you next week!
