Beavah Dam!

Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working. -Unknown

Clogged Up

Have you ever watched a woodpecker go at a tree? You get dizzy just watching and marvel at how they just keep after it! Just thinking about that type of work ethic makes me think about a great guy I used to work for a long time ago. He bought a house in northern New England to escape the city grind. He described the property like an oasis, complete with a beautiful pond.

Well, what he didn’t know was that the property was already inhabited by a nice couple…The Beavers. According to the Beavers, the pond was really theirs to do as they pleased and they decided to clog it up and build a dam. The Spencers had a small problem with the the intent of the squatters and decided to unclog the dam…over and over again! I’m not sure even the Hatfields and McCoys went at it like this. One day while Spencer was knee deep in the battle, a fellow neighbor happened upon the scene in his old truck and offered a simple cryptic statement: “Beavah gut ya busy Spencah” and went on his way.

New Englander

The story is a classic and one I like for its New England flair with the contrast between the determined city dweller turned weekend woodsman and a stubborn old squatter. However, when you really consider the scene, you witness a fantastic battle of wills and a lesson in consistency. You see Spencer was at that time a fantastic, highly ranked investment analyst. His attention to detail was impeccable and his word was followed by many who sought to plunder a fortune on his advice.

As a young guy fresh out of college, I was unable to understand how important his work was to him until one day he sat me down and showed me the error in my ways as he handed over an analytical report that I had prepared that was tattooed with his corrective red pen. He explained to me that literally hundreds of millions of dollars would swing one way or the other based on the nickels and dimes per share that we were reporting. A lesson that taught me there really is no such thing as a 9 to 5 mentality. You simply have to role up your sleeves and do what it takes to perform the task at your highest level.

Consistent

As I look back, I recall from that point forward working extra hard to make sure the details were accurate. There was many a late night when I would certainly be one of the last out of the building. I became wired to stay consistent, especially when I was struggling with a task. Before asking for help, I knew it was right to first rely upon what I had learned and give it my best and never give up. Not that there was much of it in me, but any laziness was chased from my being for good at that point. There would never again be an intentional lack of a consistent effort in any task I set out to do.

This lesson has made all the difference in my life. It’s a tool that I know is always at my disposal and can solve most any dilemma. When in doubt, I slap my tail on the water, dive right back in and start working on my dam. I suppose if that old timer from the woods knew he might be smiling sideways and spouting…Griffin, Beavah gut ya busy!

Tags: Beaver, Consistency, Consistent, Hard Work, Inspiration, Motivation, Self Improvement, Work Ethic