My best friend and I have this thing together. It’s more than a friendship, at least it’s turned in to that over the years. What started as hitting things off at a neighborhood party has become a much deeper relationship on both a personal and business level. You see, we are both entrepreneurs, we own our own young thriving (and growing) companies, and we are truly in this thing together. What’s amazing is that we both come from advertising backgrounds and have great strengths in marketing and people skills. We work together a lot. We bring our managers together, and we have team bonding days together, even though I own a social media company and she owns several juice bars. There are a million differences and a handful of similarities. One thing we both know is that we’re all about our people. We KNOW that our people make THAT difference, the one that’s hard to put a finger on. I think it’s the magic ingredient and I know there are many that would agree.
A while back, I came to one of her nights out with the team and we got to talking around a fire pit about a lot of things both personal and about work. Her area manager, Lisa (told you I’d give you props!!) said this thing that I absolutely HAD to write down because it’s, well, brilliant! We were talking about becoming a manager and learning more skills, thinking bigger picture and all the things that come with professional growth. We were discussing the differences of successful people, and those who essentially don’t grow in their positions and she said that the difference is that ‘You don’t get comfortable, you get capable.’
I was like, YES! You are exactly right, that is a serious tweetable: Don’t get comfortable, get capable!
I mean, it’s brilliant, right? Simple. True. So much possibility in that statement, such wise words. I’m pretty sure she didn’t even realize how good they were until I told her (lol). I mean, imagine…you’re this person that has a dream, a dream of becoming someone great, making a mark on this planet and garnering even the tiniest understanding of what it’s all for. Don’t get comfortable, get capable! We’re talking mantra’s here, people. It’s so easy to just get comfortable and never move out of that position. But, this is not the trait of a great person. Don’t get me wrong, I love comfort, that’s home, that’s where I feel good. I know all about comfort. But I’ll be honest, I did not become the owner of a company driving in the comfort lane. I am a capable person and I’ve made myself that way. And on top of that, I’ve made sure that the people around me KNOW I’m capable. I’m absolutely positive that you could ask anyone in my circle if I’m capable of just about anything, and they’d say ‘yes.’ Not that I’d do anything because I wouldn’t. I have boundaries, people. But, if I wanted to do it, I would. Plain. Simple. Truth.
So, here’s to BFF’s, working together, and making our people, our awesome teams…CAPABLE (with a side of comfort)! Those are the people I want to build. Are you with me?
