By Paul Reilly
Earlier this spring, my wife’s grandpa passed away. Grandpa Jim lived a long, wonderful life. Sure, it was sad when he passed. We miss him. But it was also a celebration of a life well lived.
We were close. I actually knew Jim longer than my own grandparents. In many ways, I always felt like he wasn’t just my wife’s grandpa, he was mine too. One day I was visiting Jim’s house and I noticed a peculiar list hanging on the wall.
It was his extensive, detailed, neatly handwritten…home maintenance list.
He had documented all his home maintenance activities. He changed the batteries in his carbon monoxide detectors in August 2002 and painted the exterior of his house in June 2004. He replaced the toilet shut-off valve in February 2007. He even cleaned and oiled the bathroom fan on March 8, 2019.
Who does that? Well, Jim Flynn does, and he does it meticulously.
I’ll admit, I’m not always the most diligent person, so I was impressed that his maintenance records date back to 2002. That’s 20-plus years of consistent documentation. If Jim were a modern-day seller, he’d have no problem logging his calls into the company CRM.
When he passed, I asked my mother-in-law for a copy of that list. To me, it not only represents his careful attention to the home he maintained, but also to the people he cared about in his life. He was a good man.
It now sits in my office as a reminder to be diligent not only in my work but also to care for the people in my life—just like Jim.
Seeing it again today made me smile—and also reminded me that I still have some room to grow in organization.
In any profession (especially sales), diligence is often overlooked. Diligence is a careful and persistent effort. Jim’s list reminds me it’s not about being careful or persistent—it’s about being both. As you reflect on this story, you’re undoubtedly reminded of the people in your life who model the qualities you hope to mimic. And whether those people are present here or only in our memories, you can still emulate their best qualities.
It’s time to get to work…What qualities are you going to model today?