The Jholdas Group

Like many people I talk with Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are lots of reasons. It’s simple (except for my wife who spends days preparing for the mad consumption moment). There are no presents. Just family, friends, and food. How could you not love that?

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is the whole matter of gratitude and giving thanks. It dawned on me the other day that I’ve never seen a thankful, unhappy person. I’ve never seen a grateful downer. There is something very powerful about giving thanks and expressing gratitude to God, to family, to co-workers, to friends, and sometimes to complete strangers. I am convinced that I just don’t say “Thank you” enough.

So, this year…thank you all for being part of a great company and for all the countless things you have done (large and small) to make life a little better for someone around you and to make our company a little stronger. It all adds up! And it really does matter!

Have a safe and loving holiday!

Every Veterans Day I think of my Dad, now nearly 91.

When the Germans invaded Poland in 1939 my Dad was 19. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor he was 21. He enlisted a few months later and was trained as a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps. He learned to fly P-47 Thunderbolts, Spitfires, and the magnificent P-51D Mustang. His missions included bomber escort during the dangerous daylight raids of Germany, close air support during D-Day, and he even flew Dwight Eisenhower on reconnaissance. My Dad is one of my heroes.

Like Dad, countless millions of men and women have donned the uniform of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard to serve and defend America since our founding. I cannot even fathom what life would be like today if they had not done so. This is a day to salute them all—regardless of your politics. They are all American Heroes the likes of which the world is unworthy.

But they aren’t the only ones. Let’s not forget the wives and husbands, children, mothers and fathers who prayerfully supported these warriors from home. Their hope was not only victory but that, God willing, their loved one would come home alive and whole. Their service is worthy of our respect as well.

So, today and this weekend as we remember our veterans let’s do just that. Remember and thank them. We owe them our lives.

Life is complicated enough and business has enough twists and turns without us making it worse. Fortunately, most businesses can be reduced to just a few things, or even one thing, that is the key to making it all work.

There is a great scene in the movie City Slickers in which Curly reduces life to “one thing.” However, he won’t tell what it is. He says you have to discover it for yourself.

What is that one thing or those few things in your business that truly make the difference? Those are your top priorities and everything else is clutter, junk and distraction in comparison.

Dare to reduce your business to what really matters. Make sure your team knows exactly what that is. Align your activities so that you are concentrated on moving the dial. And leave the rest for someone else.