The Road Less Damaged

More than a decade ago I was given a book that would forever change my destiny. The Betty Crocker Cookbook. A little later that year I received another book that wasn't near as exciting, The Road Less Traveled. The person who gave it to me said it was a book about discipline and focus. I wondered why they were giving it to me? They also said some other stuff too but I wasn't really paying attention so I can't remember. The book promptly went in my to do pile along with changing batteries in the smoke detectors, fixing the garage door (still not done), writing in my journal (never started) and cleaning the basement (yeah right). Eventually that list started weighing on my conscience enough that I knew that I would have to check something off or not get any sleep the next few weeks. It was either that or my wife telling me no golf until I did something around here. So I looked at the list, made my choice and found myself reading the book. Keep in mind, a self-help book.

Scott Peck wrote the book in 1978 and included 4 areas of discipline that he defined.

Delaying gratification - He was listening to the Stones a lot when he wrote this part of his book. This theme was lifted from the song "You can't Always Get What You Want." I really don't know where this guy gets off telling America that they can't have what they want when they want it. Getting what we want right now is what America is all about. Who cares if we run up 60k on our Visa Gold, buy a house with nothing down that we can't afford for a payment that is half what we make in a month? Might as well throw in a Hummer. Why should we drive around in a wreck? Its not like it will all come crashing down or anything.

So this Peck tells America to wait before we buy what we want? What good will come of that? Just think if people who bought a home 2 or 3 years ago had waited until now to buy. It's not like there are any good deals out there right now. What's that? What do you mean I should watch the news more?

So then he goes way out there. He suggests that we should Accept Responsibility For Our Own Actions - The first thing I thought when I read that is that this guy would make it about two minutes in the corporate world. Let me explain. Pasted on the front of the real employee manual, (not the one that smiling lady from HR hands out in employee orientation) are the rules of surviving your job. That employee manual is not, cannot be written. If it were to be written the author would be removed from the premises by security and their effects mailed to them in a timely manner. Every person who survives the culture shock learns the contents of the manual though. Rule A is no ideas. Everyone is gathered, the problem is presented, the boss asks for solutions. First one to speak loses. You can always spot the new guy. Its like the new recruits in World War II. They come in so green. They don't know what they're doing and then you blink and they are gone. After a while you don't even say hi to them. You just don't want to get emotionally involved. You know their fate.

"I think I have a solution to that problem."

"DEAD MAN WALKING!"

Rule B is Make no mistakes. This is closely tied to rule A. If you have no ideas you are on the line for virtually nothing. If your assignment fails then it was somebody else's idea so it must of been their fault. If they expect you to show ingenuity and resourcefulness in making a bad idea work anyway then perhaps you need to brush up on the resume. They aren't paying you to pull off miracles are they?

Rule C is the final rule and the most important. At times Rules A and B will be impossible to follow. Every boss will demand that you come up with something to show that the space between your ears is not simply being used as a place to hold up your hair. And if you do give an idea to the boss you will definitely break rule B. In fact just giving an idea is a mistake. So what do you do next?

Rule C is to deny it. No don't lie. Just come up with a creative way to blame it on someone else. This is the number one pastime in corporate America. It is the reason most people have years of vacation days that they have never used. They are afraid of what will be their fault when they get back. I heard of a guy who took off a month and was arrested when he got back.

So it was a nice thought but now I understand why the book was titled the Road Less Traveled. That road can only be driven by those who own a company or by those without jobs.

So after drawing an X through number 2 I moved on to number 3. Dedication to Truth - Honest both in word and in deed. As I thought about this one I thought hey, piece of cake. How hard is it to tell the truth. As a matter of fact I am going to tell the truth today in every way if it kills me. I did fine until my wife asked me what I was thinking about when a song finished up on the radio. Truthful answer, french fries. Answer I gave when I realized that it was a song from our wedding video, "Our wedding video honey." Dang this truth thing stinks. Okay I have delayed starting number 1, crossed off 2 and failed at 3. Sometimes it is tough to tell the truth.



Maybe number 4 will give me hope.

Balancing and Bracketing - When I bussed tables I could get a dozen glasses on one tray and pile everything else on top with no problems. Then I would show off by holding it up with one hand on my way back to the bus area. Perfect balancing act. I am also pretty good at picking the tournament challenge when March madness rolls around so I figure this one I have covered. The problem is that Peck is talking about balancing between different challenges and finding a way to bracket the most important blah blah blah. Frankly, this is the part where I decided to balance out my need for sleep against my need for improvement and bracket a nap into the equation.

So basically what I got out of the book was the title. Take the Road Less traveled. Using this advice I got a good GPS device with traffic updates and arrive at work a good 10 minutes earlier than anyone else.




Thank you Scott Peck!