What Now?

TAKING THE LEAD: What Now?

Scott Humphrey CEO, WFCA

Welcome to 2021. Like many of you, I willingly gave 2020 a swift kick out the door at 12:01 am on January 1. In fact, I don’t know that I have ever been so happy to see a year go and have an opportunity at a restart. It is safe to say that none of us expected the degree of challenges and turmoil that were forced upon us in the past year. How could we? Even the best of visionaries did not expect the degree of change we would be forced to navigate.

Like many of you, each year, I prepare as best I can for what I believe lies ahead, and every year life throws us a few curves. Some we see in advance and are able to make adjustments, and some find us knocked down and struggling to get back up. For me and many others, 2020 was a “knocked down and struggling to get back up” kind of year. So, let me ask you a very simple question. What now? Your answer to that question will define your attitude and success in the future.

There are many possible responses to that very simple question. Let’s evaluate a few of them:

1. Some will lose because of lt.

My mind races back to the “Rocky” movies. I can’t recall how many times through the numerous movies Rocky was down and managed to get back up. But everyone is not like Rocky. Some saw the past year as an ominous sign of things to come and said, “enough is enough.” I hope that is not you, but if it is, let me challenge you to get back in the ring. Maybe it will be a different “Ring,” or you will be playing a different role, but failure does not have to define you. Zig Ziglar said it best, “Failure is an event. It is not a person.” In truth, success is almost impossible without failure. The lessons you have learned from your past can be the springboard for your future. Learn from it.

2. Some will live in it.

This sounds similar to those who toss in the towel, but it isn't. Those who “Live in it” don’t quit. They move forward but remain haunted by the fear of what could happen. They never truly shake the scars of the past. Instead, they wear them as an anchor in their psyche. Their fear of the past haunts every decision in their present and limits the potential success of their future. Let me remind you, as I have stated so many times before, “The past is a great place to learn, but a terrible place to live.” 2020 has already had an impact on your life, but it can only impact you further if you let it.

Let me remind you, as I have stated so many times before, “The past is a great place to learn, but a terrible place to live.”

3. Some will learn from it.

You may not be able to control what life throws at you, but you can most certainly control how and how long it impacts you. Many made major adjustments to their business model due to the impact of COVID 19 and went on to find new and better ways to address their customers’ needs. In short, people prefer to do business with those who approach life positively — those with a “Can do” attitude. George Bernard Shaw once noted that “Optimist and pessimist both contribute to society. The optimist invents the airplane, the pessimist the parachute.”

So, let me ask you again. What now? Will you let 2020 define you as one who lost hope and quit? Will you move forward but carry the burden and pain of 2020 with you, impacting your attitude and potential? Or will you learn from the challenges of 2020 and allow them to become a springboard to your future success?

As you approach the new year, please remember that the WFCA exist to ensure the success and profitability of the professional flooring dealer and to represent their common interest. We exist to help you shake the fear of the past and attain success in the future. Encourage others to join our ranks and check out the many resources we have made available to you at wfca.org. ❚