40 Year Amateur

by BizMum

“Amateur!” A friend exclaimed in disgust after a rather lengthy and confusing business presentation. Yet this was from a supposedly respectable man with 40 years of business experience. Another man, a well known multi-millionaire simply told us quietly that he once had a mentor who told him there are people who works for decades yet have only a year’s worth of experience. We looked a little bemused as he continued.

Remaining The Amateur

Remaining an amateur just like a seedling.

“You see,” he said, “most so called business people and in fact, most workers only do learn enough to do their jobs over and over again in order not to get fired. They can experience the same thing over 40 years without developing themselves”. A light suddenly went on in my friend’s and my mind. Our gaping mouths closed in sudden understanding. Gosh, he must know our dental work by now.

“So, they repeat their first grade over and over again?” We laughed at that prospect. But it is such a profound understatement. That made us realize why there are so many underperforming people who have been at their jobs or in business for so many years! They have not reeducated and improved their abilities by learning about their business and improving on them.

Underperforming can go on for many years until they lose their jobs or the business they work for or own goes under. Only then does improving the self with more knowledge become paramount. It’s like a disease. You come down with it because of the lack of prevention and now, they look for the cure after the damage has been done. Now, who’s the doctor? Taxpayers?

Lost, Confused and Tough Love

Look at some people at seminars and the unemployment office. They seemed so lost and stunned. It’s just like the world had past them by and they had just realized it. This is not to say they were ill and had been unaware for decades. They had all the opportunities of the years gone by but did nothing to better their standing and preparation. “Rip Van Winkle lies here” sometimes come to the edge of my tongue but I’m putting it in writing instead.

During the seminars on self improvement so often the questions that come are so similar. It’s about how they can better themselves. I’m gratified to hear the people in the know tell them it is not the how but to begin with what they must do. There is no shortcut. If they expect handouts these days, there’s a very long line to wait for that bread and peanut butter.

It may sound cruel, but in truth tough love is the best thing that one can do for these people. Only then will the shock of not measuring up get to them so that they will do something about improving their circumstances.

These toughts almost make me want to shake that 40 year amateur by the collar and make him sing a different tune about creating the need to be the example of a self improvement leader. But then, he may just as soon retire and live on until he has to start paying for his daily bread himself as his retirement funds run out. Until then, perhaps another true leader will take his place in the near future. We can only plant the seed and hope it falls on fertile ground.