And Then Some

Recently, I was talking with a friend and they were telling me about a speech they had read. The speech was about a salesman and the one simple principal of success that he saw over and over again in successful people. Curious I wanted to know the secret. He told me it was three simple words put into action. The three words were: “and then some.”

He then went on to explain that the speech was full of common sense but so many of us miss this concept of going the extra mile. He recapped the following for me:

– They were successful in obtaining top positions because when it came to their work, they did what needed to be done and then some.
When you look at why people get promoted or you look at biographies of successful people you usually will find that they had the attitude of always doing just a bit more. They never do only what they have to do. And, if they see something that needed to be done, they took the initiative and did it. They always go above and beyond what is expected of them!

– They had the happiest families and these were not the ones that were rich but the ones who spent time with each other, helped each other, and had respect for each other, and then some.
When you consider a family that is happy and express love for one another you will always find that they are always there for each other, no matter what is going on in their own lives if their family needs anything they are there not just to do a certain thing, but to assist in any way they can. You will find these families celebrate not only special occasions but they see each other on a regular basis. Often times, you will find wealthy folks do not have the same appreciation for each other, and many times do make the same time for each other.

-They had strong friendships because they were friends who were good friends, and then some.
We all have friends, some closer than others. But strong friendships are built on dependability where the individual does the little things that make the difference in our lives. They are there not only when we need them but they are a constant support and encouragement in our lives.

– They were always willing to help out, were kind, and thoughtful, and then some.
Successful people lend that helping hand, they demonstrate understanding, empathy, and compassion towards other. One word to describe this type of person is unselfish – they always put others ahead of themselves.

-In any situation, you knew you could always count on them and then some.
Think of a person who is loyal and trustworthy; a person who is always there and carries their load and more.

– They never gave up on any goals; when met with challenges they took action to overcome the challenges and then some. They always have a target they are aiming for and no matter what obstacles or roadblocks they are faced with they are determined. They persevere and find ways to achieve what needs to be done. And along the way if they see other issues that need to be resolved they take action.

A Simple Principle
These three little words “and then some” are full of wisdomwhen you think about it. When I started thinking about it, you can apply these inspirational words to any situation in your life. You can always do what is needed to be done and then some. If you apply this principle, you will find that you will find success because over time “and then some” adds up to success.

“And then some” can be applied to all areas of our life.

Imagine our workplace if everyone did their job, and then some! It would improve productivity, it would improve the working environment, it may even improve some people’s attitude. If you are looking for success in a company and want to make a company successful then implement strategies and rewards for not only doing a job, but doing the job well and “then some”.

Imagine our marriages if we did for our partners and then some. Rather than just doing what needed to be done, we always did more. Simple things like cleaning the house, rather than just doing the dishes, we also did something extra. If our attitudes were what more can we do, rather than do we have to do that – we would see a difference. Or seeing something that needed to be done and doing it without being asked to do it.

In all of our relationships if we implemented the attitude of “and then some” what a difference we would make. If we taught the principle to our children, and it was just there way of thinking we would be raising our children to be resourceful, to put other people’s needs ahead of their own, and to always be ready to help without being asked,. We would be preparing our children for a life of success.

Think about customer service. How do you feel when you receive customer service that is above and beyond? This is a perfect example of how “and then some” makes people feel. When you are looking for something or have a complaint and the customer rep finds it or resolves it but also does one more thing – you feel like “wow, I will come back here again.”

Unfortunately, not all people believe that they should give more than they have to. You probably know the type of person about whom I speak. They are the individuals who always leave a few minutes before closing time, or the ones that just goof around for the last half-hour of their workday, or go and visit another colleague to chat up until it is time to leave. They are also the first ones to complain when they don’t get ahead. But, do not let these type of people dissuade you from going the extra mile. You will not only feel good about your contribution, but extra conscientiousness is noticed more often than not.

Observations
During the course of many years, I have often observed those around me who have given more than a lot of others. And, one of the things I decided before I became a supervisor was to ensure that those who went that extra mile – and then some – not only received recognition but were rewarded at year end when it was time for yearly performance reviews.

Even more recently, I have been in situations that I have thought of this principle and applied it, and it is amazing what happens. When it comes to your job, your friendships, your family, your commitments, I invite you to do what you have to do and then some!

Inspirational Quotes for Reflection:
“When you serve as a resource to someone and help them succeed, you can be rest assured that success will come to you.” Ryan Jump

“It is the proactive people who become successful. They refuse to simply drift through life merely doing what is required of them. Instead, successful people take the extra mileand do the extra tasks to make their lives more fulfilling and meaningful.” Aidin Safavi

“Fill your vocabulary with words that evoke feelings of success and strength. Robust, happy, content, love, affection, faith and other such words should be the first ones your mind reaches out for.”Kathryn Prentice

“When you begin changing things in your life, it becomes apparent to those around you fairly quickly. Your attitude and demeanor change, your outward appearance changes and the things you talk about to these people change based on your daily experiences.”T. Whitmore