The Last 2% Is Bigger Than the 98%!

Most of us have worked on projects at different times in our life.

Getting started on a project can sometimes be a challenge.

I know it is for me sometimes. I put things off and then when it's due time, then I start scampering around, pushing myself, when I could have done it easily over the last week if I would have just applied myself.

Seeing a project through to completion is an even greater challenge.

If you're honest with yourself -- I'm sure you're probably the same way as me. Maybe a little different is some ways, but for the most part, most of the population does it this way.

Here's another thing.

Checking on a project at the very end to be assured that it is correct is another big challenge for human beings.

Here's the deal. Listen up.

I believe it is the last 2% of effort that will either make or break the success of any project you devote yourself to. Notice I said, DEVOTE yourself to.

I have a great story that illustrates this point well.

A missionary was taking a group of teenagers to Mexico on a mission trip not too long ago.

They were all meeting in Washington and departing from there. The man who loved what the people were doing with the kids had contacted his friend about the possibility of sending some kind of encouraging message for the teenagers to hear each morning of the trip.

He knew to be upbeat, positive and enthusiastic you needed encouragement, so he got several copies of some inspirational CD's, bought a CD player for the group, packed up the entire package and mailed it to his friend's attention at the hotel where they were staying in Spokane before they left.

To make sure it was there on time, he drove to the FED EX building and dropped the package in the Fed Ex box and then called his friend to tell him that it had been sent and should be there the next day.

Now, earlier in his life, he would have thought that he had completed the job and
fulfilled his promise to his friend. But, he had learned over time that it is the last 2% of effort that really counts and is often the hardest part of the whole
job.

So although he had gathered everything, prepared it for shipping, and dropped
the package in the Fed Ex box, he did not believe in his heart that his task was
completed. Not yet anyway.

You see, he did not promise his friend that he would drop his package in a Fed Ex box; he promised him that he would get the tape player and CD's into his hands before they left for their trip to Mexico.

He knew that his promise was not complete until he checked on the final delivery of his package and it was in the man's hands.

The next afternoon, he went online to see if the package had been delivered and
discovered that it had been signed for by someone at the hotel.

He then took the next appropriate step. He called his friend and asked if he had received the package.

He had not, but said that he would go to the front desk and check. A little while later, he received a call and was told that the package still had not arrived.

That seemed odd to him since someone at the hotel had already signed for it.

So, he picked up the phone and called the hotel immediately. He spoke to the front desk manager in charge.

He was told that the Fed Ex delivery person had already come that day and that
the package he was talking about, was not there.

Fortunately, he was able to give him the name of the person who had signed for the package.

Although the gentleman at the front desk did not recognize that name, he said that the hotel had many employees, so he would check into it and call him back.

He gave him his phone number and told him he would be anxiously waiting for his call as the package needed to be in his friends hands soon, as they were leaving for Mexico.

True to his word, the manager called him back about thirty minutes later and said, "How can I ever thank you?"

When he asked what he meant, the manager said, "Today we had a different Fed Ex driver than normal and instead of delivering all of the packages to the front desk, he delivered them to the loading dock in the back of the hotel! I went back there and found several important packages for guests who are staying here.

If I had not gone back there and checked for you, there is no way the packages would have made it to the front desk.

The loading dock is where the hotel receives most of its packages, but the front desk is where we put the packages that arrive for our guests.

It was just a mix up on our part and I am sorry. I have already delivered your package to your friend.

He thanked the manager, and gave his friend at the hotel a call and was told that the package was safely in his hands. Now his job was complete and he knew that he had fulfilled his promise.

You may think that this man was going way overboard and a control freak or the man was being overly responsible for situations he had no control over.

However, he believed it was his job to be a positive influence on anything in
which he became involved in, even something small like this. Therefore, having a lackadaisical attitude of, "Well, I've done my part!" would prevent him from understanding and achieving what he considered a true success in life.

This particular story is not for the faint-hearted or for those people who are not
willing to go the second, third, or even fourth mile for people. It is for those people who will go as many miles as needed in order to see the job fulfilled and completed.

I consider this a good work ethic.

If I'm lazy or I procrastinate, and the time comes for me to fulfill my promise, I'll do it. I'm not going to make excuses like many people do nowadays. It's wrong and you shouldn't do it.

Here's an example. I was up last night (12:43 AM) writing a FAX for a doctor. He sends them out on Monday, and I've agreed to supply him with one, each and every week. I may not get around to it until Sunday night, but I make sure that he has one ready to go out on Monday morning, early.

I don't know what sort of project you may be involved in right now, but I promise you that if you are not willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done, you will never achieve TRUE success in life.

Anybody can be average; and remember, average is just as near the bottom as it is the top. I don't think you want to be AVERAGE do you? I don't.

The person who wants to make a difference in life and other people's lives will always go the distance, whatever it takes, to see a task completed or a promise fulfilled. It can be a real hassle and headache to do this, but it is well worth it in the end.

I promise!

Have a great day.

Dr. Carney

P.S. This applies to taking care of people in your office if you're a chiropractor. I consider Chiropractic the greatest profession in the world, but I also understand that it takes time, and effort to be successful. I consider it outrageous marketing when you can help someone complete their tasks.