The Value of NOW!
The Value of NOW! – a guest blog by Steve Hodges.
Over to Steve…
I saw this today on LinkedIn by my buddy David Buttress, the global CEO of Just Eat. It is very fitting that it was David who posted it, he himself is an inspirational guy who really gets the value of NOW!
A Sense of Urgency
Montreux, Switzerland 2nd June 1993
I was once asked as a founder of JCB, what is took to succeed. “The same thing it took to get started”, I said, “a sense of URGENCY about getting things done”. The people who make things move in this world share this same sense of URGENCY. No matter how intelligent or able you may be, if you don’t have this sense of URGENCY, now is the time to start developing it. The world is full of very competent people who honestly intend to do things tomorrow or as soon as they can get around to it. Their accomplishments, however, seldom match those of the less talented who are blessed with a sense of the importance of GETTING STARTED NOW.
Joseph Cyril Bamford (1916-2001) – Founder of JCB
What is fascinating about his post is that if someone had asked me what it was about David that made him special the answer would be his ability to make things happen. Immediately. His sense of urgency is equal to only a few people I have come across in my life and it can be seen in his achievements both personal and professional. Yes, it comes with a lack of patience, yes it requires an element of bravery to challenge yourself and others around you, and it comes with a level of uncompromising focus and determination but it brings with it fun, adventure, excitement and success!
I loved seeing this today, and the fact it was put on LinkedIn by Mr Buttress is equally fitting, there are indeed many people who are happy to plan for tomorrow, who are ‘going to get around’ to something and who exert as much energy in coming up with excuses as they could do in achieving things, but far too few who want to do something NOW!!
Yes, we make mistakes along the way and yes, we get things wrong from time to time and yes, there are some things needing careful consideration and detailed planning. But, that should not be used as an excuse for procrastination. The words of Abraham Lincoln say it all: “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
As we get well under way into the new year, and put the successes and challenges of the last year behind us, it has been good to see something that has given me that prompt to remember the positive things that some with the JFDI mind-set, thank you Mr Buttress and Mr Bamford.