What happen to the little life lessons?
What happened to the life lessons we learned as children? Mike McGavick went one way, and his skateboard went through a neighbor’s basement window. As an eight-year-old he went home crying to mom expecting her to heal his wounds. What he got was a quick warning from mom to apologize for the window and a promise to fix it.
That skateboard incident was an early learning experience, Mike McGavick was explaining to Chris Widener in his Made for Success interview. He was also instructed to tell the neighbor that he would mow his lawn until the damage was paid for. The lesson on responsibility must have stuck, because he went on to become president and CEO of Safeco, and he brought the company back from the brink.
I remember when I was young and a neighbor saw me do something wrong. When I got home, I paid the price, twice. A call for the teacher meant, I got it again. I might be dating myself, but is there someone else who had the same experience? Now days, when the some of the parents get the call from the teacher, “the parents complain about the teacher”. Maybe these parents missed those little life lesson. I know several people including my daughter who teaches, and you would not believe some of the stories she tells me about some of the parents.
Another lesson Mike learned came from his grandfather. He was rough and tough and didn’t take time to talk to kids, even his own grand kids, but Mike would follow him around any way, and watch him work around the farm as a carpenter. Many years later after Mike received his journeyman’s permit, his grandfather showed up at the house and asked if he really knew how to drive nails.
“Follow me and show me what you got”, is what he said. He took Mike outside to a pile of wood and gave him a bucket of nails. Mike drove nails into an old board, long enough until his grandfather was finally satisfied. As his grandfather walked away he turned around, took off his tool belt and handed it to his grandson and said, “I hope you never have to use it”. It was his way of saying, get an education so you don’t have to work as hard as I did. Mike was learning another little life lessons, to pass down to his children
We live in a different time. Stress is all around us. I could talk about marketing techniques and how to do this or that. The Empower Network has educational products galore that will show you how to go from A to Z. I focused on mind-set because that is where everything begins. If you don’t have the right mind-set, you won’t focus on the right technique.
If you want to start an on-line business there are certain things you need to learn. The basic blogging program gets you started. I knew that I wanted to have enjoyable content, so I focused on what I learned from the master motivators; classic principles never get old, especially from people like Napoleon Hill, Les Brown and Jim Rohn. Chris Widener and his “Made for Success series” introduced me to some other leaders and speakers. And most of my source material comes from the Success Store. Recommend you give them a visit. Just the name sounds like a good place to shop.
There was a daily mastermind call that is covered Napoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow Rich. You can listen Monday through Friday mornings at 9:00 am EST (712) 432-0990 access code 565762#. Paul Hutchins is the founder and host. This has been straight talk, beast mode. If you like what you read, pass it on.
H.G.M.
Internet Comments
Herschel E. Chalk
I’m not as old, but I too have memories of being a child and the life lessons that were learned. I believe in the past, where it takes a whole community to raise a child as their own, thus comes the saying that, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
Rory Singh
Parents nowadays are letting their kids get away with murder. I am 44 and have issues with my kids (teens) but my wife seems to let much slide. She thinks she’s protecting them, but she was brought up in a very strict home. It seems like some kind of paradox… kids who were brought up strict become lenient. Thanks Earl!
Michelle Leith
It is amazing and sad the difference between generations. I was born in the wrong era lol…but good for me, my husband too. We are very old school with manners and etc. It breaks my heart to watch kids with broken homes go out of control, and some of the things that come out of their mouths, I would not have any teeth…I love the call with Paul Hutchins too 🙂
Helen Lingard
Ouch…gosh! I’m glad I was never like that when my kids were young…I do remember, however my son coming home with a bad report… fortunately, I knew better. The teacher got it all wrong – not my son. Glad I had great kids, both grown now. I have always been a firm but fair parent. Great blog Earl Thank you.
Earl Hackett
Thank you for your comments. Each generation has a different story to tell. How we are raised, determines how we parent; we follow suit or go in a totally different direction.
Hackett Global Marketing 