One of my favorite motivational speakers of all time is Zig Ziglar. He has so much charm, passion, and zeal for what he does. He loves to motivate people.
Recently I was listening to an old audio recording of his called Leadership & Success Series. It is loaded with great information but one specific story really stuck with me.
He tells a story about when he was young, they had biscuits one morning that were flat and not as large and fluffy as they usually would be. He mentions that he asked the cook what happened to the biscuits and she said “they got caught in the squat.” They never rose to their true potential. This is what happens with people too.
So many people TALK about what they are going to do when the situation is right, or the right opportunity comes along, or the right time of year, but the never actually DO anything.
Out politicians are especially bad at this. They talk about what they are going to do to cut the debt, talk about what they are going to do to improve jobs, talk about what they are going to do to reduce government (or increase on the left), but it rarely ever happens. There is too much talking and not enough doing.
Talking does not produce incoming (well, unless you are Zig Ziglar), it does not grow jobs, it will not grow business.
In the Bible, it says “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” (Proverbs 10:4) It later says “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23) These are wise words.
If we, as a nation, as small business owners, as leaders in the community, as mothers and fathers, as husbands and wives, would do a little less talking and a lot more doing, we would all be much better off.
Now excuse me while I stop talking and go get some work done…