RULES
TO LIVE BY
A number of years ago, Sunrise Engineering was
struggling to build momentum in the market place. We focused on completing public works water
projects for cities, towns and other public entities. One of our clients was a large Irrigation Company
in northern Utah. That Company was unique
because it delivered Utah Lake water to irrigation customers, on both
residential and agricultural land and it treated and delivered drinking water
to most of the customers in the city where it was located. We had completed a number of small projects
for the Company. We also completed a
large difficult diversion and pipeline project in rough, steep terrain that
delivered water to their water treatment plant.
The projects were successful and we had developed a strong relationship
with the members of the governing Board due to our farmer style common sense
and genuine nature.
The next project on the schedule was a whopper,
a pressurized irrigation system. We
would replace their entire ditch water delivery system with buried
pipelines. In the future, water would be
delivered under pressure in pipelines to sprinkler systems instead of in
ditches for flood irrigation. The
project included a raw water pump station, storage pond and a complete piping
delivery system with about 30 miles of pipelines. The project had a complex water rights
component to allow water delivery to what previously had been dry lots.
The Irrigation Company bylaws required the
Company to go out for proposals from competing engineering firms for this size
project. We had learned to play “hard
ball” when it came to proposals because we could lose, and this project was a
big deal for us. We prepared a perfect presentation,
practiced and roll played until our delivery was flawless. It took a great deal of work and time. We were scheduled to present the proposal one
evening at a Board meeting. The President, Mr. Ennis, called the meeting to
order, Mr. Mickelson took minutes and Mr. Ballard announced our scheduled
presentation. We set up our visual aids
and, as rehearsed, I began with, “We are happy to be here tonight…” I was then interrupted by Board member
Williams. Who said, “Mr. Chairman, I
move we hire Sunrise Engineering to be our engineer for the pressure irrigation
system.” The vote was unanimous. I could not believe what had just happened,
but realizing we had received what we came for and further talk might only
weaken our position, I gathered up our stuff, thanked the Board for its support
and left the meeting. Nobody ever heard
our flawless presentation, but our celebration over the win was still euphoric.
Such life experiences and resulting lessons
learned are really no different than serving as a missionary. From the story above and my basic philosophy of
living life that follows, try to pick out the applicable missionary lessons and
metaphors of missionary life. Some are
easy to see and others are subtle and only one who has served as a missionary
would understand. I must also say I am
not perfect and had my fair share of days of discouragement, frustration,
bitterness and hopelessness as I faced my trials. But as a rule, this describes my core
come-from in life.
I have found that most of the best things that
have happened to me during my life, happened after somebody said, “Yes.” But, those moments of victory, like winning that
project, are too infrequent to live only for that alone. At Sunrise, I became addicted to the pursuit
of victory. Then finding and doing projects,
strategizing, meeting and working with people, organizing, planning and doing
were what brought me satisfaction. The
wins were great but the pursuit of the win was my focus because I learned to
make it fun and interesting. I truly
felt driven every day to pursue more success and I loved the pursuit.
I tried to be grateful by always seeing what I
had, not what I did not have. Looking
for the good every day does wonders for your productivity.
19 And
he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and
the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred
fold, yea, more. (DC 78:19)
I saw the world as a place of abundance and avoided
an attitude of scarcity. Living in
“Scarcity” is believing if someone else has something; there is that much less
for the rest of us to have. Living in
“Abundance” is understanding that as more people have more things they want;
that increases my opportunity to obtain things that I may want.
7 For
the earth is
full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have
given unto the children of men to be agents unto
themselves. (DC 104:17)
I learned, up close and personal, the mine
fields, pitfalls, and trials that must be overcome to take care of business. Opposition came in the form of: taxes,
suffocating regulations, lack of cash to fund growth, production challenges, personal
stress, etc. The difficult things in business
and life were many but I viewed them not so much as sacrifices but as
investments. There is no pill,
counseling or business maneuver that replaces the indispensable ingredient of willpower
and hard work.
Christ healed on the Sabbath at Bethesda a man
who for 38 years was one of the impotent, blind, halt and withered folk. Christ’s simple command was:
6 …Wilt
thou be made whole?..
I visualize the man knowing he could not get up
for he had not gotten up for 38 years. But,
following the Savior’s command anyway, he attempted to rise. The atonement takes away your ceiling and the
Savior invites you to set aside your misery and do wonders in the stead thereof.
President Robinson
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