Success is Not Final and Failure is Not Fatal

The construction business is TOUGH!

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There will be years that go by where it seems you are on top of the world.  There will be “perfect storms” where you have a bad project, a dip in the economy, lose a critical member of your team and your banker wants to meet with you on Friday to “talk”.  

Quote: Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill.

There are many variables that you can control but there are many more that you can’t.  You will make many great decisions and you will also make bad ones.  

Accept all these as facts.  Realize that ALL businesses are tough in their own ways.  Life is TOUGH!

Don’t fall in love with the summit of the mountain; you have to love the challenge of being on the mountain and improving every day.

Realize that as you climb the mountain you can’t do it alone and that each stage will require different skills and gear.

Realize that it is discipline and not motivation that will carry the day. 




Field Productivity Grand Slam
When contractors are truly successful at improving their field productivity it is like Mickey Mantle’s pivotal Grand Slam during game 5 of the 1953 World Series. The bases are loaded. You are at bat. The Big Four productivity home runs:
Problem-Resolution Cost Pyramid - Earlier is Always Better
An easy way to visualize the cost of problem resolution at different stages of construction is with this pyramid. The cost of the problem is the cost of the problem (1X). Finding it ahead of time minimizes the costs and maximizes customer satisfaction.
Bill Walsh - Planning the First 25 Plays
Construction success depends on both the ability to rigorously plan as well as the ability to quickly react to changing field conditions. This is similar to sports and a lot can be learned from the disciplines of great coaches.