Iron Sharpens Iron! Marriages, work, friendships, the NFL and more…

On September 9th, a fellow member at my Crossfit box posted the following…  and since it was posted I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Proverbs 27:17  Surround yourself with people that make you a better person… and make you stronger both physically and spiritually. Too many negative people in this world that only want people to fail so they can be successful.

Now let’s start at square one so we know where this is all coming from.  I hardly know this person at my gym.  She is a newer member, and anytime she is there she is so laser focused that you do not get in her way 🙂  In no way shape or form is she rude unsocial, etc… She is merely doing her thing and training for something bigger than herself.  She is sharpening her skills so that when her number is called she can sharpen her teammates and help put them in a position to succeed…  I hardly know anything about her, but people are drawn to passion and integrity because watching someone perform with it is something that can fuel a fire within.

There are so many areas in which this quote can work wonders.  Marriages.  Work.  Gym.  Friendship.  Church.  Well actually, just life!  Just as the act of iron on iron sharpens, so the interchange of ideas among people makes them more alert in their thinking!

The meeting of the minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity and gain new insights. It pays to be around positive people. It pays to be around wise people. It pays to be around creative people. There is a mental sharpness that comes to those who are around such people.

This one above has been something I have learned first hand over the past few months.  I recently opened my own location for our mortgage company and people ask me all the time “how’s the new office?”  “How’s business?” Business is great, the new office is great but I do not have my co-workers around anymore to drive me, feed off their energy, bounce creative ideas off, etc…  That without a doubt has been the hardest part because I have had to find a way to be self motivated day in and day out… I guess you could say I have an “iron deficiency”.

I see/hear so many people talk about “your net worth is your network” and  “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” and I think more often then not these people spin these quotes directly to how much money someone makes.  I don’t think any of these are fair…  The reality of life is that some people will work way harder than the next person to make less money, AND THIS OK. Those very same people can add a tremendous amount of value to ones life you open up and allow them to because after all,  I think this is bigger than money… This is life!

As I type this I wonder if the leaders in the NFL were sharpening each other or were there just a bunch of yes men and women chasing the all mighty dollar and over time became “dull”.  Where was the integrity?  Did someone miss an opportunity to tell Roger Goodell to do the right thing for fear of losing their job??  Did someone have a moral lapse and dig an even deeper hole?

Are your friendships one sided?  What do your friends bring to the table and just as important what do you bring to the table?

Every knife is different, just like every person is different.  Before we go and try to sharpen everyone we know (with good intent of course) we need to look at each case separately…  What is the condition of each knife (person).  What type of stone should we use to sharpen that knife?  Medium? (love)  Coarse? (tough love)…  We are all different and have different pasts and are in different “condition”.

If someone came to you and needed some “sharpening” are you in a position to do so?  What can you bring to the table?  Just as important, do those people that you surround yourself “keep you sharp” or are you and your sphere merely dulling each other over time and eventually will lose your cutting edge??

All this stemmed from one person, who I hardly know Facebook post.  I think this is a perfect example of how in this day an age with social media people are always watching and observing even when you think they are not.  When people get you…. What are they getting?

Business is like a pendulum… for the WIN!

I think the business pattern for those who are successful is somewhat like a pendulum.  Don’t get me wrong I am a FIRM believer in systems and doing some things the same but in order to keep it fresh you need to change things up from time to time.   When a pendulum switches directions, that is when it really starts to gain momentum and the same goes for business…

Sometimes people need to be shocked a bit (in a good way).  It keeps it fresh and makes it fun…   Imagine walking into a restaurant and getting dessert first (something my wife would love) it would be kind of cool right???  Once or twice… Occasionally a little shock factor can do you, your business, and your clients some good.  For example…  The million dollar question when it comes to a mortgage (my business) is the rate.  When I have clients come into my office I whip my computer screen around, pull up rates and show them exactly how they work…  I am not sure what clients are expecting when they walk into my office but the look of shock on their face (good shock) leads  me to believe they were not expecting such transparency.  People want to feel educated and like they are in “the know” and it is up to us to educate them.

All to often I see people fighting what is reality.   “The fight” and “the hustle” is what we often talk about…  The hustle to keep up with the demands of our business, returning phone calls, meeting with each client, ensuring a smooth process, the paperwork, the inspections, etc…   You won’t win every fight… That is inventible… 

I have sat back and started to watch/observe some people that I admire (business, artists, athletes) and what their “style” is.  Some people are about the “fight” and some people are about the “win”!  Picking up a skill set is what will give you longevity.   The way you move within your business (whatever business that is), the way you interact with people and your ability to brush things off will keep you relevant and ultimately give you a presence.  Make your business about the WIN.  People can fight all day long, but even if you are not personally “fighting” it can be draining.  Just watching someone “fight” can wear you out both mentally and physically…  If you are in a business that is “customer service” based your cannot be about the fight… you will wear your clients (or even worse potential clients) out throughout the process.

BE ABOUT THE WIN…  You do NOT have to show the struggle to prove you are working hard.