You may have heard “ABC: Always Be Closing.” But what about: “Always Be Creative?” Or: “Always Be Charming?” Pick a few of these and level up …
Some time ago, I read this article on Cracked (fair warning: strong language and not really safe for work) talked about six harsh truths that will make you a better person. (It's since been updated for 2019.)
And harsh, it is. I don't necessarily agree that we are nothing more than our value to other people. But as far as learning new skills, it's spot on.
One of the video clips embedded within is Alec Baldwin's “ABC” speech from the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. He's addressing real estate agents — in a way that, once heard, cannot be unheard — that they should ABC: Always Be Closing. They should always be getting people closer to signing on the dashed line because nothing good happens financially until that happens. And the more often it happens, the better.
As I was reading the article, my wife came in. I was a bit embarrassed that I was reading it because of all of the language, but she ended up looking it up herself. As a creative person, it was edifying to her. She does many things well, and after reading it she realized that this allowed her to be useful and serve others in many different ways.
Just for fun, I dug up thirty more ABC's with the help of Google's auto-complete. Here they are:
1. Always be calm
Being slow to anger and weathering through challenging situations with demeanor is an asset. Harsh words cannot be taken back.
A related piece of advice I've heard is to lower your voice as much as someone else raises theirs.
2. Always be careful
Especially when the consequences of not being careful are high, like when driving, using power tools, or working with electricity or fire.
This doesn't mean to always be conservative, though. There are appropriate times to take calculated risks.
The key is to get in the habit of thinking before acting.
3. Always be cautious
Be cautious when analyzing big decisions, like buying a house, or starting a business.
I've learned to appreciate complexity. Things are invariably more involved than they appear to someone who hasn't done them before. Things are rarely “just” such-and-such.
We've learned the expensive way with some of our ventures that there was a lot more involved than what we saw. There's always the opportunity to start smaller before going bigger.
4. Always be certified
Getting a professional certification — like Certified Financial Planner, or Security+ — signifies some level of skill.
Most of these certifications work toward a particular goal. Sometimes certifications are required for a particular job; other times they're earned to distinguish against the competition.
It's certainly possible to become over-certified, or to pursue certification for its own sake and for the benefit of the certifying organization. If the certification isn't used, then it's just a piece of paper.
It makes sense to pursue certification where it will be beneficial.
5. Always be charging
This is another way of saying: “Always be doing.”
Moving forward takes work, but it's the only way to create something of value.
After taking the time to be careful and cautious (see above), just do it!
6. Always be charming
I've learned this the hard way, too. Being charming (or at least trying to be charming!) opens more doors than being dismissive.
Sometimes being charming has even helped me to get free stuff! I don't expect this to happen all the time, of course, but it's nice when it does!
Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Would you want to work with fun people, or indifferent or miserable ones?
There are times and places for being charming, and for just lying low, but overall it's better to be the kind of person people want to be with.
7. Always be chasing
My daughter is a swimmer. She swims better if she's being chased. Other swimmers do better if they're chasing.
Hustling toward something of value is a good habit. Having others spur you on, either from the front or from the back, is a good habit.
Be either the chaser, or the one being chased.
8. Always be cheerful
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone […]”
There's a good chance you've run across these first words from the poem “Solitude” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
But what about these words, from the second stanza?
“Rejoice, and men will seek you; Grieve, and they turn and go; They want full measure of all your pleasure, but they do not need your woe.”
I know from experience that people will actively avoid you if you're miserable. They don't need more woe in their lives.
Be cheerful. Things aren't that bad. And even if they are, people don't want to hear about it anyway!
9. Always be chic
Chicness is relative, and some people can pull it off better than others.
And as a guy, I really have no clue what ladies go through on a daily basis to look professional. I'm sure it's more than I imagine.
But taking the extra time to look a bit more put-together is an intangible that helps in a couple of ways. Other people catch the vibe. And being a bit more put-together just plain feels better.
10. Always be civil
Saying the wrong words at the wrong moment can be career-ending.
Throughout my career, I've gotten better at thinking before I speak, as well as simply shutting up.
Craig Ferguson, television host, says that he asks these three questions before saying anything:
- Does this need to be said?
- Does this need to be said by me?
- Does this need to be said by me now?
If people asked themselves these three questions more often, then things would be a lot more civil.
11. Always be classy
It's often easier to illustrate classiness by counterexample.
Think of the guy that regularly tells off-color jokes, or who has tacky comments at meetings, or who drops the F-bomb anywhere and everywhere.
Think of James Thurber's Jack “Pal” Smurch, the Greatest Man in the World.
Don't be that guy. People will want to push you out of a window.
12. Always be cleaving
A gemologist cleaves, taking something raw and make it pretty.
A sculptor chisels at marble. A potter forms clay. A woodworker cuts, planes, sands, and lacquers.
A writer puts words to paper, then edits. A speaker takes notes, then crafts an engaging, concise presentation.
Take something raw, and make it fine.
13. Always be clean
My language has gotten a lot cleaner over the years. (Having kids cleans up your language in a hurry!)
I'm sure you can name a few people who are successful in part because of their coarse language.
But for most of us, it's better to go clean. Michael Hyatt, a virtual mentor to many, had this to say about profanity:
“If you can’t be interesting without profanity, then let’s face it: you’re not that interesting.”
14. Always be closing
The original ABC, especially for salespeople. Always be working toward the sale. Move product.
The Pareto Principle or “80/20 Rule” comes into play here. Eighty percent of the money comes from twenty percent of the customers. Twenty percent of your activities result in eighty percent of your sales.
Find that critical 20% that gets you to closing, and do more of it.
15. Always be coaching
Have you built someone up today? Have you spurred someone along to good deeds?
Coaching is a way to multiply your influence and expertise. It's also a way to sharpen the saw and improve your understanding of what you do well.
16. Always be cobbling
This comes from a Saturday Night Live parody of the original Glengarry Glen Ross scene, but with elves instead of real estate agents. (Alec Baldwin spoofed himself, of course.)
Thomas J. Stanley and William H. Danko, authors of The Millionaire Next Door found that millionaires were more likely than non-millionaires to re-sole their shoes. They bought things that would last, and maintained them.
What can you do to decrease your cost of ownership for your stuff?
17. Always be coding
Always be coding. This particular ABC applies to software developers, of course, but it applies more broadly to anyone honing a craft.
A writer needs to write. A musician needs to play their instrument. A painter needs to paint. A seamstress needs to sew.
Keep your hands in what you do.
18. Always be confident
A friend told me at one point to keep nay-sayers far away because they can erode confidence.
Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or you think you can't you're right.” You'll do your best to live up to your expectations either way.
Make it a habit to think you can.
19. Always be connecting
Connecting new things with things you know makes learning them easier.
Magician Harry Lorayne made part of a career out of memorizing the names of everyone in his audience.
His trick? He'd connect some prominent feature of the person's face with an object related to the person's last name. If a guy named Mr. Spooner had a big dimple on his chin, he'd picture a spoon hanging from that dimple.
But connecting is more than just learning a bunch of unrelated facts. It's tying things together and tying different subject areas together. That's where innovation comes in.
Look for connections and watch the light bulbs appear!
20. Always be content
You can chase and charge, but also be content. Not being content leads to unhappiness.
Contentedness is not the same thing as settling. Contentedness is not resignation.
Most Americans are fantastically rich. (Don't believe me? Check this out.)
Working from a position of abundance is more effective than working from a position of scarcity.
21. Always be converting
Transformation.
Transforming site visitors to paying customers. Transforming strangers to acquaintances, and acquaintances to friends.
What are you doing to transform things in the right direction?
22. Always be cool
Never let them see you sweat. (I think that was an antiperspirant commercial, but can't be sure.)
Aside from truly dangerous activities (like wingsuiting) most moments in life pass by without incident.
The more things you try, the easier it will be to convince yourself that you'll get to the other side of whatever you're doing now.
23. Always be cooking
You can be cooking something up, or literally cooking. (Hey, folks have got to eat!)
It took me a long time to not be scared of cooking, but like anything, doing something for the first time can be a bit worrisome.
The magic happens when the recipe is a guideline rather than a prescription.
24. Always be courteous
It's a skill to disagree without being disagreeable, and to give people the benefit of the doubt.
It's surprising how little it costs to be courteous. Why not do it all the time?
25. Always be creating
This is the one that spoke to my wife.
Do you consume, or do you create?
There's some consumption that we all do, and that's not bad.
But is it all you do? Or do you have a nagging feeling that you're consuming too much?
Try creating something, even if only for yourself.
26. Always be curious
Asking questions helps to make new connections in your mind. (See also: Always be connecting.)
Ask “why” a lot.
One site's app that I look at regularly is … Curiosity.com. Lots of reasonably short, well-written articles on a bunch of thought-provoking subjects.
27. Always be cute
For me, this is far easier said than done! (That, and I'm pretty sure that I don't need to be cute all the time.)
But nonetheless there are opportunities to inject a little fun into things. Too much and it gets annoying, of course.
28. Always be cunning
Being cunning helps you to not be taken advantage of.
Have you heard the phrase: “Talk slowly but think quickly”? I've left a bunch of money on the table by tipping my hand too quickly.
Being cunning doesn't have to involve deceit. It can mean simply: “Be smart.”
That's my list of ABCs. Any others?
Any others? Which ones speak to you?
Always be cleaving. Never heard of that one, John. Anyway, very nice post about reminders as to how we need to conduct ourselves and to assist us in getting happy and contented. Thanks.