Lessons Learned... From A Benedictine Monk.
I just recently sold my digital marketing agency, On Target. After owning, operating, and being the chief marketing officer for a full service agency, I’ve learned MANY lessons. My next few posts will be dedicated to the lessons I’ve learned over those 16 years, and hopefully, you’ll gain a tiny tidbit here or there that will help you along your way. Oh, by the way, I’m not retired. I’m not semi-retired. I’m looking for that next big marketing chapter/thing, so if you’re looking for an innovator, a strategist, a think on his feet kind of leader, I’d love to treat you to some exceptional coffee and have a chat.
Ok, enough with the promotions, let’s get to it.
The Interview.
I had a great job interview the other day and he asked me a great question that has kept resonating through my mind. “Since you’ve sold your agency, will/do you still have the drive?” Wow.
The answer is a resounding YES. In my humble opinion, drive is innate. It can’t necessarily be taught. If you have it, you have it. Can you lose it? Perhaps. Perhaps it gets eroded over time, maybe the drive gets stolen by a series of losses, maybe the flames get kicked down a few notches due to strife. I do, however, firmly believe that it can be recharged. Perhaps a new win, maybe a solid plan comes together, maybe you take a long kayaking trip or walk through the woods and recharge your batteries. Those flames can be re-stoked.
My Trigger.
I remember this day like it was yesterday. During my freshman year at Saint Meinrad Catholic Seminary with a bunch of super cool Jedi-esque Benedictine monks, my grades SUCKED. I mean, lukewarm doesn’t even begin to describe them. I was pulled into the Academic Deans office (NEVER a good day) and was informed that if I don’t get my S#@! together, I wasn’t necessarily going to have the great privilege of studying at that fine institution much longer. THIS sparked the flames. This ignited the drive. It took a nice swift kick in the ass to get my drive throttled.
From that day on, I kicked it in to high gear, got kickass grades, grew as a leader, loved studying, loved writing, loved research, and most importantly, loved to WIN. That kick in the ass from that loving, yet stern monk was what I needed to solidify my hard-wiring to want to win. By the time I had graduated St. Meinrad, I was on the president’s honor role, had become president of the student run non-profit, traveled around Indiana with the development team to tell my story, and received the Pour Le College award upon graduation.
That kick in the ass sparked it all. That kick in the ass allowed me to build a company from nothing. That kick in the ass allowed me to close millions upon millions of dollars of new clients. That kick in the ass gave me the opportunity to field hundreds of live TV interviews and be seen as an expert in my field. That kick in the ass allowed me to understand and know when it was time to sell On Target at the top of my game, and that kick in the ass will allow me to crush it for whoever grants me the opportunity to steer their marketing ship.
Not To Brag.
I truthfully don’t say all of this to brag. I simply want to illustrate a point here. To be a success, you need a fire from within. To crush it and win that deal, or steer that ship, or handle that TV interview, or thread the needle, you need a fire within. For me, it’s all about the win. Whatever that win is, I want it, and I hate to lose. This drive can be a real curse, but it can also be a real blessing. Whatever organization/business I land at, my drive to win for them will never be compromised. It only will get stronger.
Photo credit : Saint Meinrad Archabbey
My Two Cents.
To unlock your inner badassery, challenge yourself. Don’t take NO for an answer. Test your limits. Do the uncomfortable things. LISTEN to people. Listen to advice BUT don’t take advice from people who haven’t crushed it, don’t take advice from people who offer you random critiques and unsolicited advice. Take time to recharge your batteries, whether that’s in solitude, riding your bike, hanging with your kiddos, going on a long drive, listening to podcasts, whatever turns your crank, do it, and make ZERO apologies for doing that.
The flame is there, sometimes you just need a good, swift kick in the ass from a “monk” to fuel it.
If you’re looking for a marketing pro who loves to win, with plenty of real life experience to lead your marketing department, let’s chat. Drop me a line at tjelneck@gmail.com or give me a call at 321-363-6469.