Instructions

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost.”

-Zig Zigler

As a man, I am inclined to follow instructions.

No, you didn’t read that incorrectly.

Guys get a bad rap. The stereotype that we don’t follow directions is simply misunderstood. Guys follow directions all the time. If we buy something that needs assembly, most people think we toss the directions aside out of arrogance or pride. That simply isn’t the case most of the time. Most of the time, it’s simply not our first rodeo. If we know what we are doing, we do it. If we don’t, we consult.

Following directions, for a guy, often means simply consulting another guy who knows better. Why try to find English out of the dozens of different languages the manual is written in if we know a buddy who has done the exact same thing before? When it comes time to redo my deck, I’m going to call the friend who has done his already. When it comes time to re-tile my shower, I’m calling my tile friend. Could I follow the instructions? Sure. I would rather follow the instructions from the guy who has experience doing it, though. Results will be better and time and frustration (not to mention money) will be saved.

As a man, I don’t like taking a shot to my pride. I’m proud of my work and what I produce, so I want it right. Thinking that I somehow will “just figure it out” is stupid at best. It sets me up for embarrassment in front of whomever it is will receive the final product. Either that or I will waste my money by having to redo things. I don’t want that. If I’m going to put time and effort in to something, I want that time and effort to pay off. That’s why I follow directions.

That’s also why, when the time and effort doesn’t pay off, it sucks so badly.

No matter what you do, sometimes things just don’t turn out right. You followed the directions. You consulted the professional. You enlisted the help of a personal trainer. Sometimes, no matter how much you paid attention or how vigilantly you worked, the product simply didn’t come out. Sometimes, even after follow the directions, whatever it is you were doing just doesn’t work.

Sometimes, you just sit there after you spent all of that time, energy and work to do something and you are just left to wonder, “What happened?” with no answer at all.

It’s in that shame and reality that whatever it is you were doing isn’t going to materialize that you have to suck it up and choose to move on. Failure may not be an option, but it is a reality. It is a possible outcome. How we deal with that reality is more important than the product in the first place. Do you give up?

So you read up on how to interview for that job you wanted. You prepared. You pressed your suit. You didn’t get it. What are you going to do?

So your bathroom sink sprayed water everywhere after you put in a new vanity. Time to throw in the towel?

So you got cut from the football team. Are you going to try again next year or will you simply blame the coach?

I did everything I possibly could this week to make my goals and make my deadlines. That didn’t happen. Do I quit?

No. My reputation and my character are more important than that.

Yours are, too.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!