Rule #4. Get stuff done.

I've been writing down my rules for success.  You can find the first three here: #1, #2, #3.  Today is about rule #4.  This rule was inspired and crafted by my good friend Bob Lasch who is an excellent software engineer.  Bob is a "doer", and simply put he gets stuff done.  I've called him "Bob the Builder" (after the cartoon) because he has an outstanding attitude and always works to get stuff done.

Many years back Bob and I were working on a software project together and we started discussing the first three rules.   As Bob so eloquently put it after that discussion, those first three rules are important but don't mean anything if you can't get stuff done.  I happened to agree with him and that's where my rule #4 was birthed.  If you are going to have success, you are going to have to get stuff done.  This rule is entirely context specific intentionally using the words "stuff" and "done". Whatever it is you are doing (selling real estate, programming computers, managing a household, etc.) you must get something to a finished state to have real success.  If you're in the business of selling real estate but you never actually get a sale to go all the way through a closing,  can you be successful?   If you develop software but you never actually ship the software, can you be successful? Success is measured by finishes.  Start finishing things in whatever you've chosen to do and you'll be on the road to success.

Stay tuned for rule #5 coming next week.  It's quite possibly my favorite rule of all because of who taught it to me.