13 May Why a solid ‘life operating system’ is your key to success and happiness
The devices we use, each and every day, like our smartphones and laptops, all depend on an “operating system”.
This system is frequently updated and “guides” the effective functioning of said devices.
Whether we realise it or not, we too have “operating systems”; the values and priorities we choose in life although for many of us, we’re not always aware or mindful of what they are or how they’re guiding us.
But they do guide is; whether we’re aware or not. And in doing so they significantly impact on our health and wellbeing and happiness.
Which means, if we want more happiness, especially more mindful happiness, we need to reflect upon and more consciously determine our operating systems …
via Fast Company by Kass Lazerow and Mike Lazerow
We are often asked what makes a successful entrepreneur. To answer this, we’d like to share the story of Douglas Delreza, one of the most impressive people we have ever met.
Douglas stepped off the plane in Miami from La Paz, Bolivia, on September 14, 2004, with a six-month tourist visa, a small suitcase with all his belongings, $500 in his pocket, and a grand vision of building a better life for himself and his family.
A week after arriving in the U.S., Douglas made his way from Florida to Maryland to live with his mother, Elda, a wonderfully warm woman who worked as a babysitter when the two of us were building Golf.com. When Elda introduced us to Douglas, we immediately knew he was special. Despite only speaking broken English, his laugh was contagious, and he told us confidently how excited he was to find a job as a professional chef in the United States.
A week later, Douglas shared the good news that he had landed a job at the top catering company in the area, Ridgewells. At first, the company informed him they did not have a spot for him. But Douglas offered to work for free to show them his skills. The following Sunday, he was manning the pasta station at FedEx Field in Redskins Owner Dan Snyder’s suite.
We’ve watched his success continue over the following 18+ years. He started his own company, became a manager at a well-known food chain, and became an executive chef at an upscale catering company. Now, he lives in Roanoke, VA, with his wife and six kids, where he is a Director of Commercial Support at US Foods, a $30-billion food service company.
None of Douglas’ success is a surprise to us. He lived with optimism and never let fear hold him back. He knew his strengths and hustled. He bet on himself and was extremely grateful. He knew what he wanted out of life and how to get it, and it has been inspiring to watch him achieve great personal and professional success.
In the past 25 years working together, we have employed hundreds of people directly through our various companies. We have also invested in close to 100 fellow founders who have employed tens of thousands more. Through it all, one simple truth has shined through: success like Douglas’ is driven just as much by HOW someone operates than by specific skill sets or motivations.
Nonetheless, very little time and effort is spent individually or in organizations to examine how we go about doing what we do. We believe that an investment into building a framework for how you want to approach life’s chaos will pay off handsomely. This post is our first public effort to start the conversation …
… keep reading the full & original article HERE