Written by: Vickie Sullivan | March 28, 2023
What My Dad Taught Me About Success
Today is my Dad’s birthday. If he were still with us, Dad would be 83 years old.
Dad was not an entrepreneur. Like his father, he worked on the railroad for almost 40 years. He was tough, blunt, and unsentimental. Growing up, we butted heads a lot.
But he taught me things that made me successful both in business and in life. To celebrate his special day, I thought I’d share my favorite lessons with you:
• Always help people. My Dad would spend his days off helping the neighbors, friends of neighbors, and people he didn’t even know. Someone needed their garden tilled. Someone else needed their car fixed. You get the picture.
When I was a teenager, I asked him why he never did anything fun on his time off. He said something like, “Everyone needs help one time or another. Always help because it’ll be your turn soon enough.” I think of him every time someone asks me for a favor.
• Take the chance; you won’t die. Dad did things his own way. He didn’t give a heads-up before doing it, nor did he ask for opinions. I told him about some big risk I took in business once, and he nodded his approval. His response: “Well, they can kill ya, but they can’t eat ya.” Every time I must make a big decision, I use his “can’t eat ya” saying as a standard.
The biggest lesson I learned from my Dad: Actions speak louder than words. May our behavior bring out the good in everyone else.
Listen: Lessons Dad Taught Me About Tough Times
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