Marine Corps General Orders

"It was a pleasant surprise."

I suppose that is how I see life at times. The things I least expect will happen to me if I'm at least paying attention to some of the signs. Channeling patience and being prepared to accept a calling on my life are predominant to all else. It takes a lot of patience when accepting new recruits and watching them develop into the new age soldiers that my company needs to succeed on all fronts. The Unmanned Systems business isn't easy to forge through and takes the mind of an individual who can be quick and nimble, adapt to technology extremely quickly, and be willing to put in the work to learn about industries, new technologies, software, hardware, and become a licensed pilot. There are many tests in this life and this field is one of them that tests you a lot. As the saying goes, "Patience is a Virtue" and the Virtue is all yours when patience is exhibited.

In 1997 Robert E. Willis hired me to work at Successories, a motivational gift store which sold artwork that exemplified positivity for the eye of the beholder, not only to read but to see. Recently Robert invited Maverick to attend a career fair where we ended up hiring two Veterans from the Navy. One thing to understand about Robert was he is a Marine, he served as an MP to his base. He was regimented, he was disciplined, and he gave the general orders to civilians as he would his fellow Marine. I learned a lot from Robert E. Willis while he crafted me in my youth. He was a manager I looked up to for guidance and listened to his wisdom and stories. He became a friend. I would include him in postcards I would send as my travels brought me around the world and I would include him when I sent Christmas letters to my family and friends. He shared those articles with me yesterday that he had saved for 19 years, it's a wonder how time changes the person we become and where we find ourselves. As I look back on my Employee Performance Appraisal from 1997 it reads the following:

The Major Areas of Strength noted by this appraisal are:

Mr. Shaw displays an incredible level of Enthusiasm. He also has a natural gift of working very well with customers. One of Mr. Shaw's greatest talents is his sense of business. This will indeed make him very successful in whatever career he chooses.

The impacts that humans have on our souls and our development is crucial to who we are and what we become. It was interesting to read my Christmas letter from 2004. I had been employed at Verizon for a few years at that time and spent over 15 years there. I had a roommate, and he is still my best friend to this day. I was working two jobs. I felt what falling out of love felt like. I was 21. I didn't take vacations. My Great Grandmother was available to talk to. Life in 2004 was certainly a different one. I have carried a lot of water uphill since those days. Some days are easy, some are harder than others. What I've learned is perseverance is key to my success. Failure is to learn by experience. Success is to learn by example.

To read Robert E. Willis post on linked visit here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:share:7070067057492422656/