29 – An Attitude of Gratitude

BY STAN KONTOS

Do you remember your very first job?  More importantly, do you remember your attitude toward your very first job?

I remember my very first full time job when I was just  21 years of age. My attitude (I am not proud to say) was not good as it was all about me…yes I started off quit selfish!  Please let me explain. I was one of those employees that started exactly 9am (I thought hey I don’t get paid anymore so why should I come in early?) , I had to have all  my allocated breaks even if there were customers waiting and I would finish exactly 5.00pm (even if there was work to be finished). I would take all my personal leave in the year  (back then we called them “sickies”) even though I was not unwell (I felt like having a day off) – it was all about getting my benefits….all about me 100% (a sense of entitlement). It was a stark contrast to the way I think now!

I remember even getting fired from one of my part time jobs because I was not showing enough care for my boss’ small business. And to tell you the truth, I deserved it!

Thank goodness it all changed when I met Mr DG – he taught me the importance of enjoying work by giving to others and he taught me how to think like someone who wants to go onto the road in becoming successful (the path I was originally on would have led me down the path of poverty I am sure). Mr DG was a wealthy small businessman and he showed me by his leadership to “give more than you get paid for Stan and you will become more & more valuable and opportunities will come your way as a result”.  Become selfless and not selfish and you will succeed.

I really began to take an attitude of gratitude  to heart (I began to feel so grateful that I had a job, that I could serve others, that I could save money, that I could be an important person in the community and that my co-workers could be proud of me). Watching the way Mr DG treated everyone inspired me to do better and so I began coming to work early (I’d start 7:30am – 8:00am even though I wasn’t getting paid until 9:00am) and I’d finish after I was meant to finish the day (in fact I remember Mr DG popping into his business and seeing me still there and saying “Hey Stan, C’mon you better go home son”) . I began to treat his business like my own and genuinely wanted him to succeed. I would do home deliveries after I finished my work shift and not tell him as I didn’t want any petrol money. I loved the grateful look in customers eyes when I did them a favour and dropped their goods to their home because they were too old or unwell to come out. And I never took a sick day in 3.5 years I was there (Admittedly some days I needed some strong cold & flu tabs to get me through ha ha).

I began finding more & more ways to grow the business and in  fact when I departed on good terms some  3.5 years later, I was integral in growing the business significantly.
It was around 3 years into my employment that I decided I wanted to get into small business ownership and I had multiple people approach me wanting to go into business with me.  I had very little money,  a mortgage in Para Hills, and no real business knowledge –  however from my results I now  had many people wanting me as their business partner. I had developed a good reputation and the ability to work hard and create results. Looking back, it was inevitable that good things would come.  Good things come to those that work hard – the harder you work, the luckier you get!

So what is your attitude with your career progression?  Is it all about you (selfish), or do you genuinely look for ways to do more than you get paid for (selfless)?  If you are in business or want to get into business, have you developed the attitude to create more for your business partner(s) and for your employees? Are you excited with the privilege of serving customers and making them happy?  You see when one appreciates the gift of a job, the gift of a small business, the gift of having a profession, and the gift of serving people, then this attitude is absolute magic!  It is now not about how much money you make per hour, but more about the value you bring to the hour. When you bring more value to the hour, you naturally via the law of attraction bring more opportunities and good to your life.

Come and see some amazing people who have learnt and applied these remarkable secrets at our breakfast event (http://www.nextlevelbreakfasts.com.au/) each month and you will be inspired to become a great leader too. We are all created equal and at such all have the ability to become great at whatever we are doing as our job, business or profession. Once we become great, we will always make more money because we become invaluable to our employer and customers.

Live with passion, stay on your life’s purpose, and be at peace.

Stan Kontos