Keep Pulling The Cord...Or Ask for Help!

No matter the season, there is a piece of equipment in our garage that has a pull-cord.

Got a blizzard?

Snowblower.

Tall grass?

Lawnmower.

Deep leaves in the Fall?

Backpack blower.

Trimming the edges?

Weed-whacker.

House filthy?

Power washer.

Since losing my Dad last Fall, I’ve spent time at his house (where my Stepmom still lives) gladly taking care of things.

There are days I swear he’s watching me.

Today he had to have been laughing hysterically.

They’ve got a HUGE yard, and a trusty John Deere lawn tractor that makes quick work of the tall grass.

However, it’s currently being repaired.

So, I went down to the shed to retrieve the old push-power.

As I had emptied the gas tank last Fall, I topped it off, checked the oil and started pulling the cord.

And pulling.

And pulling.

And pulling.

I think I can officially tie my right shoe now...without bending over.

Finally I looked up at the sky and said, laughing: “Really? You do realize this is YOUR freaking lawn I’m trying to mow right now, right?!?”

Next pull: big puff of smoke and sputter.

The pull after that: the mower started.

With a smile skyward and a thumbs-up to my Dad, I plugged in my ear-buds (with favorite 70s & 80s iPod rock playlist) and was off.

As I didn’t want to bag the clippings, I wedged the rear-facing grass chute open with a block of wood.

When I stopped to put in more gas, I realized my legs looked like Irish Bigfoot from the knees down...hairy and green.

Again, another big smile as I imagined my Dad doubled-over, laughing at me.

Around the 2-plus hour mark, about 5 minutes from finishing, I heard a roar behind me as a full-sized pickup pulled up the driveway...with a smiling face leaning out the window.

It was Mike.

Pictured: Mike Laverty of Equipment Works!

Mike Laverty is the guy who takes care of all of the aforementioned year-round tools.

He was dropping off the now-repaired John Deere lawn tractor.

Looking skyward again, I said: “Really?!?” and started laughing.

I asked Mike: “What were you doing, waiting around the corner until I was done?”

He laughed and said: “I tried to call you a couple hours ago, I swear!”

Laughing, I told him I left my phone in the car.

We then had a great conversation about the importance of maintaining equipment, surrounding yourself with people who have the skills that you don’t possess, and how important it is to ask for help when you’re tired of pulling the cord without success.

How many of YOUR tools are not running properly these days?

Are they running rough, sputtering their way through the job...but causing more harm than good?

Did they conk out at the end of last season, but have not yet been repaired, while problems continue to grow all around you?

When we need help, we call Mike. He owns Equipment Works. And he’s great.

Who do YOU need to call?

When my businesses were sputtering and struggling a year ago, I got a call from my friend Kris Whitehead who, as it turned out, was running with a group of professionals who excel at all the skills and equipment that I needed to fire things back up.

I’d been pulling the cord, over and over, getting frustrated.

And nothing.

And the weeds were growing tall, all around me.

Now I am part of their circle, helping others with my skill set as a part of the Think to Succeed Mastermind Group, the Digital Marketing Mavericks and Ewealthology.

And I am honored to do so.

When we see people pulling and pulling, struggling in their businesses, with no sputters or successes...we pull over and offer to help.

As I stated it earlier, your success can rest on the people you surround yourself with, and their knowledge.

Today, I was reminded of that lesson, once again.

(Pictured:Me and My Bud.)

Sure, I did some serious walking (my FitBit would have been shocked when I set a new high score), but the job got done...and the next mowing session will involve tools which will make it easier and less time-consuming

(because we asked for help from the person with the right skills).

A huge thanks goes out to my Dad for making me laugh today by waiting until I ‘asked him for help’ (love and miss you, Bud!) and to Mike for delivering the Green Machine, and for our great conversation.

Who do YOU need to reach out to this week?

Do it...and get your motor running!