Charlie Mechem sits down with Jay Ratliff, an aviation consultant to several major media companies and an advisor on Stock Day Trading, as well as a substitute host for a number of major broadcasters. Jay shares his wisdom on the importance of applying hard work and passion to your goals as he reacts to anecdotes from Charlie’s book, “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer.”
Give Your Mouth a Rest and Put Your Ears to Work
Some of the best leaders do more listening than they do talking, Jay says. The most effective leaders recognize the collective experience around them that could be a great asset to them. Avoiding arrogance, he stresses, helps you avoid mistakes.
Be Brief
Recalling a speech by Edward Everett, which was more than two hours long, Jay can’t help but stress the importance of being brief and concise. Saying what you need to in the shortest amount of words helps make the meaning stick in people’s minds—perhaps this is why so few people remember Edward Everett. The more we talk, Jay says, the more evident it is that we might not know what we are talking about. You can gain a lot from cutting things out, getting to the point, and implementing time management skills.
Success Demands a Paycheck
Never give up, don’t let anyone get you down, Jay says. It is easy to say, but much harder to do. Hard work does not guarantee success, Jay explains, it guarantees opportunities. It is through this hard work, perseverance, and determination that you can create opportunities for success. Jay notes that his father, as well as Charlie, have been great inspirations for him, and truly taught him that hard work is so important. Jay remarks, “Success demands a paycheck.”
We Are All Replaceable
We are not all irreplaceable parts. Some of us believe certain organizations couldn’t go on without us, but the fact is that many could get on—if not better—without us. People with huge egos don’t realize that they have them, and it does end up getting in their way in life.
Be Afraid of Your Goals and Overcome Them
If your goal doesn’t scare you, get another one, Jay says. Success demands that we stretch, in every aspect of our lives. Jay has experienced meetings where one person will give out an idea and everyone around them will be totally shocked and they will work together to accomplish that idea. He recalls the Apollo Space Program as an example of a situation such as this—at one point we could barely put a satellite in the sky, now we’ve got people on the moon! Teams of passionate individuals often makes for successful endeavors.
It Takes a Whole Lot of Patience to be Patient
Patience is an endangered species in these days, as we live in a world of instant gratification. Many business owners manage their affairs in an impatient fashion. He takes pride in his patience with customers and his long and hard work in trying to win people over. You can’t run off before the opportunity window is even open. Patience is one of the most important aspects to a successful business leader, Jay says. Everyone needs to have patience. It’s a hard trait to develop-it truly takes patience to get patience!
If you’d like to listen to more episodes of “15 Minutes With Charlie,” please visit the podcast page or search for “15 Minutes With Charlie” in your podcasting app. If you are enjoying the show you should check out “Total Anecdotal: A Fun Guide to Help You Become a Better Speaker and Writer.” Learn more on our book page, or find it available through Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and perhaps your local bookstore.