Every time I hear Richard Johnson, the former CEO of Hot Jobs speak, I always think to myself that I need to be putting myself out there more, improving my edge, my experience, and just the presence of my character. It’s because he’s just got that kind of aura of knowledge/edge to him, much of which I am sure just flat out comes from experience.
That reminder was placed in me again today as Richard spoke briefly at the Coastal Entrepreneurial Awards here in Wilmington, NC.
Richard and I have chatted a number of times from when I first got to know him a little while at UNCW, but while he was speaking, he had a great remark I hadn’t heard before about what he learned when he was in the recruiting industry.
“Make thought become action. Every time you think of something, you pick up the phone and you do something about it.”
Obviously not in a brash manner, but I thought it was a great statement for an entrepreneur. To-do lists and prioritizing tasks are always important, but I think there comes a time where you have to put down the list and take action. I think there’s a lot of ideas that don’t get executed, whether it’s a new business or just a new product for a business, because people get so caught up in lists, or policy, or fear.
There’s the old adage that says half of business success is showing up. Well, while not entirely the other half of business, it ought to be added that after you’ve shown up, take action.