Success and Happiness Not for Wimps

The business world is tough. Life is tough.

Success is not gained by wimps. Happiness is not bestowed on wimps. Success and happiness are found when you have the courage to face reality, embrace truth, admit fault and accept blame (publicly and privately), defend and protect yourself, take risk, accept failure, and get up and fight and try again. Let's add willingness to walk away when the deal is not good or the situation is not healthy.

Importantly, though, that business and life are tough does not mean that they cannot be wonderful. Beautiful. Fulfilling. It's just not for the faint of heart. It's not for people who are easily wounded, offended or deterred.

Similarly, that business and life are tough does not mean that you must be angry, ruthless or cutthroat. The sports world provides great examples. You can have the fierce competitive spirit of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan and win big and also be a gentleman or lady. Have character and compassion.

At DL Perkins, LLC (and Acquisition Advisors), we don't hire wimps and we try not to keep clients who are wimps. It's one of our core principles. Life's too short to hang out with wimps. They're too high-maintenance. They quit when the going gets tough. You have to read their minds to know how what they want, because they're too wimpy to tell you straight up.

Winning companies are built from courageous leaders who hire talented and "strong" people to carry out their mission.

Winning teams cannot be crafted from a band of wimps.

Winning deals cannot be crafted when fear is prominent on your side of the table. And listen, you'd be amazed at all the big and strong and successful business owners who - while skilled at covering it up - let fear and insecurity dominate their dealings.