Rules for Success

The rule for today is "Show up everyday".  This rule might seem simple or even common sense.  It might even seem overly obvious. But I can assure you that many people who are not having success fail to follow this very simple rule. To show up everyday isn't necessarily about being physically in some specific location for work but it does mean you can be reached (phone, computer, email, etc.) and you are mentally available.  It means being emotionally, physically, and mentally ready and prepared for whatever it is you do.  It is rule #1 because if you can't do this you're not likely going to be able to do anything else, let alone follow the other success rules.  Even though this is rule #1 I call this my "finishing rule". I use to coach competitive youth soccer and this rule was important to success on game days. I ran team practices requiring players to "Show up" and to train as hard as though they were playing to win a game.   This required them to be thinking and working together to move the ball around the field.  Did you know you can't win the game if you can't put the ball in the net? That's "finishing" in soccer and it requires that your emotionally, physically, and mentally ready to capitalize on an opportunity to shoot and score.  It doesn't matter if you have just run for 80 minutes and you're tired, worn out and the pressure is intense.  If you don't take that shot and find the net you don't win.

I'm confident you're already thinking of people you work with that break this rule consistently. Those people are the ones that don't seem to have any success.  Likely even blame others for that lack of success. Don't be that person! Be purposeful about showing up everyday!

The rule "Pay Attention" is in the top 3 because of its relationship to having success with anything you are doing. You can see this skill demonstrated by a good server at your favorite restaurant.  That person will pay attention to your table and notice things like empty glasses that need refilled. It is a skill that requires effort in our world full of distractions but it is essential if you're going to be successful.  A good friend of mine Michael F. Johnson, author of the title Kill The First Tiger A Common Sense Business Book.  It is well worth your time to read his book.  He has a chapter specifically on these first three rules.

This is the third rule you need to follow in order to be successful at anything you're doing. This must be paired with rule #1 and rule #2 to be truly effective.  You can see this skill demonstrated by a good server at your favorite restaurant.  That server will have showed up (rule #1) be paying attention (rule #2) enough to notices that your glass is empty but you know they have rule #3 down when they refill your drink with exactly what you originally ordered without having to ask you.  It seems simple right?   It can be if you're following the rules and actually truly paying attention.   Working as a software developer I have to remember lots of things.  Actually remembering everything is impossible.  This rule is really about remembering the right stuff.  The server in your favorite restaurant doesn't need to remember everything about your order,  just those things that are going to resurface.  You don't need to remember everything about the work you do, just focus on remembering things that will get repeated or replayed.   I've learned that it's best to remember where the answers can be found rather than remember the exact answer.

You now have the first three rules for success.  Some people, like to stop here.  I believe you can probably be really successful by knowing and following but these first three rules.  However,  stay tuned,  the road to success does have a few more rules.

This rule was inspired and crafted by my good friend Bob Lasch who is an excellent software engineer. Bob is a "doer", and simply put he gets stuff done. I've called him "Bob the Builder" (after the cartoon) because he has an outstanding attitude and always works to get stuff done. Many years back Bob and I were working on a software project together and we started discussing the first three rules. As Bob so eloquently put it after that discussion, those first three rules are important but don't mean anything if you can't get stuff done. I happened to agree with him and that's where my rule #4 was birthed.  If you are going to have success, you are going to have to get stuff done. This rule is entirely context specific intentionally using the words "stuff" and "done". Whatever it is you are doing (selling real estate, programming computers, managing a household, etc.) you must get something to a finished state to have real success.  If you aren't completing things you are not getting anywhere. Completing is important. It is the thing that actually matters.   If you start a race but don't finish what do you have?  Who will remember?   What does that say to your team mates?

Follow rule #4.  Get stuff done!

I learned this rule from my grandfather Timothy R. Rice who was a Lt. Colonel in the US Army.   My grandfather was a big part of my early childhood and I spent many hours of my life doing things with him.  He was the kind of man who lived by a personal code of conduct.  He was compassionate, generous and kind to everyone he met but he was also strong, direct, and intolerant of wrong doing.  Everywhere my grandfather went he assumed he was in charge.  This was probably directly related to his military career but obviously in the military that might not always have been true.  It was this very approach to life that is the essence of rule #5, "Assume command".   When you are living rules #1 to #4 then (and only then) can you exercise rule #5.  In fact, if you are truly doing the first four rules most people you work with, and many you associate with, will actually assume you are in charge.   By contrast, failing at the first four rules and trying to do rule #5 will get you into trouble.  "Assuming command" is NOT about actually being in charge.  It is about understanding that a majority of people have no desire to make decisions and be accountable for their decisions.  "Assume command" is about situational authority. You'll find that if you are showing up everyday (rule #1), paying attention (rule #2),  remembering lots of stuff (rule #3) and getting stuff done (rule #4), that living these rules will put you in the situation that most people will simply assume your in charge.   You can leverage this situational authority to accomplish even more than you otherwise could on your own.

Get busy living the first four rules and then step into the world of rule #5,  assume command!

This rule is very simple.  Teams are stronger than individuals.  Like minded teams are even stronger.  When you are living the five rules and having success with them it is time to surround yourself with other like minded individuals.   This will allow you to achieve even greater success.  It might take you some time to find people following the rules but if you've been living rules you already have some people around you.  You should quickly weed out anyone that is not following rule #1, #2, or #3 for obvious reasons.   It is worth noting that sometimes you might have to leave one job for another to find other people following the rules.

In an effort to continue writing down my life success rules I've come to the last rule #7, "Teach people the rules."  Remember, the rules are in order and build upon each other for a reason.  Get the first 6 rules working in your own life before you try this rule out.

In my experience, when it comes to success, very few things come naturally.  That is where rule #7 comes into play.   "Teach people the rules."   Teaching people the first three rules will have the largest impact, however, it is the most challenging.  Some people simply don't understand the correlation of these first three rules to success.  My advice is, don't waste time with people who don't already follow the first three rules (knowingly or unknowingly).   You can certainly share those rules in the effort to help them understand why they never seem to have success.  However, trying to teach those rules will likely frustrate you and for some they will never see success because of an unwillingness to change.  The best advice with regards to the first three rules is to "show" not "tell" and wait for them to ask.

If you are ready to teach the rules (because your have success while following rules 1 to 6) then here's some additional advice.   Explain the rules in order.  Emphasize the importance of each rule building on the previous rule.  As I said earlier in the description of those first three rules, people can be successful in just doing those three so don't worry if that's all they intend to ever do.  It doesn't limit your success. Anyone who is already demonstrating the first three rules regularly is a good candidate to invest your time and energy into teaching.   One final bit of advice,  the most difficult rule for many successful people is generally rule #5, "Assume command", because for many people it will be outside their comfort zone.  You should have rule #5 down well yourself, before teaching that rule, because drawing on your own experience of seeing success with that rule will be the best way to teach others.

Now, if you're ready, get out there and tell people about these rules!