Last week I wrote a short piece on a a mentor that impacted me. You’ll see that in print soon.

As I reflected on the piece over the weekend it occured to me that one of the mentors that most impacted me was one of my teachers way back when I had hair. Barbara Morgan. She taught English at Dilworth. I regret not mentioning her in the same sentence as Michael Dell.

One day she made a comment to me in passing that I then sought to apply every day. It went something like, “Lark, you are good. But when you work hard, you are exceptional”.

All around me were much brighter kids – I could see that then. Much brighter. But as soon as I applied that lesson, I started doing as good, or better than them. 

Same is still true to today. Chris’ post got me reflecting on this. He remembers a quote from Vidal Sasson:

“The only place you will find success coming before work is in a dictionary“

Damn Right. Chris’ life seems to have mirrored mine, as he reflects:

During the first 20 years of my career, there is no doubt my star rose faster than many others because I quite simply worked harder than just about anyone else. I certainly was not smarter, so I drove my career forward by underpinning the attributes I did have with bloody hard work. Consistently. Persistently.

Now- in fairness, I went too far for sure, and for many years devoted my life, literally, to work. I’d work most weekends, and brutally long hours during the week. In truth, I loved it. And in truth, I kind of regret it now, as I did miss out on a lot of life; during that 20 year period.

I have some of those same regrets, but the joys far outweigh them. And like Chris, its why I put so much emphasis on productvity and efficiency. Every second counts. Even the seconds you aren’t counting.