"Things is either done, or they ain't done." Marlon Sanders Some of the greatest truths are the most obvious. But they are also the most overlooked. Many of us need to take a look at the importance of facing the facts and accepting that more usually needs to be done to complete whatever we are doing. It is very easy to kid ourselves that we have done something or finished something when we haven't. We need to be motivated by taking a thorough look at whatever we are doing to check that it really is finished and finished well. If you are tired and think you have already done a good job it is tempting to stop work before the job is properly completed. Whenever I mowed the lawn and considered it mown, I could guarantee that my mother would be able to point out long grass at the edges of the lawn that had not been properly mown. She was right; the lawn had not been properly cut at the edges. The job was not done. No job can ever be completed perfectly but it should be completed well enough to pass some scrutiny. Recently, a parcel sent to me at No 19 arrived at No 9. The postman had not bothered to read the number properly. The people at No 9 had to finish his job for him. He had not delivered the mail. A few months ago, I came across a great account by Martin Avis of a talk given by Marlon Sanders, the great internet guru, in Birmingham, UK in January 2005. My thanks to Martin for giving me permission to copy his account of this talk. I heard Marlon myself some years ago in London and he knows how to hold an audience. Before he even started his talk, he arranged to have the whole audience blowing bubbles. By the time he started speaking everyone was relaxed and ready to listen. In Birmingham, Marlon told his listeners to remember: "There's only two things that matter: 'Things is either done, or they ain't done.' As Marlon spoke his voice became louder and louder: "When sumthin's done you gotta product, you gotta promotion, you got sumthin' that's gonna make you money. "When it ain't done, it don't matter if its half done or nearly done or gonna get done someday - IT AIN'T DONE." The volume reached the point where people in the hotel next door started paying attention. "And if it AIN'T DONE, it's jack. "DONE equals making money, sitting on the beach, taking long vacations and havin' fun. DONE equals a smiley face. "AIN'T DONE equals nothin'. No product, no vacation, no beach, no money and no fun. AIN'T DONE equals a sad face." Marlon smiled and knew his point was made. He said a whole lot more in four hours of sessions over that weekend, but from that day forward the 35 people there will always think in terms of DONE or AIN'T DONE. (Martin's account ends here.) Simple but powerful stuff. As usual Marlon goes right to the heart of success. Success has been described as both doing what you plan to do and also not doing what you plan not to do. It could also be described as "getting it done and not half done." Success and failure could be summed up in the immortal words "DONE or AIN'T DONE." |
