One book that I really enjoy is "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey and I quote the book several times in this blog.   First quote " Your language is a good indicator of how you see yourself."
 
His habit one is to be proactive.  Easy ways to spot a proactive person to a reactive person is how they speak.  A proactive person has a lot of I can, I will, I prefer and the reactive person has a lot of I can't, I have to, if only.
 
While I am a worrier and I constantly strive to control my worrying to what I can control and to come up with a solution.  As soon as I have a plan in place my worrying goes out the window. 
 
I really appreciate this line from the book: 
Instead of reacting to or worrying about conditions over which they have little or no control, proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control. 
 
When DEF was on the horizon we were in line to learn more about how this would affect our next truck and would we make the decision to stay with an old truck or go with a new truck?
 
When CSA was on the horizon we immediately started looking for guest speakers who knew about CSA.  I will never forget when Henry Albert was doing an informal survey and asking other drivers if they knew about CSA.  One of his responses from a owner operator was " I am not worried I am not going to buy one of those new trucks!" 
 
When the new HOS were in the works we listened in on listening sessions, we attended listening sessions and we sent in letters with our concerns.  Once the rules came about instead of still complaining about how the rules changed we focused on how we could be compliant with the new rules.
 
I have found the more we learn the more we earn.... the more we say an educated yes the more we earn.... 

Comments (11)

Linda Caffee

Bob and Linda started their driver careers after their children left home for college in 2000. Bob started as a driver for a large motor carrier with Linda as a rider. They decided to enter the Expedite industry as team drivers in 2005 and purchased their first Freightliner. Both, Bob and Linda have had their Class A licenses since the early 80's starting out driving in the oil field and hauling grain as fill in drivers where Bob worked as a diesel mechanic. Linda worked at the local country courthouse in data processing.

Read These Next...

LIVE Smart

72-Hour Vacation

June 06, 2018

LIVE Smart

Independence is Earned

July 04, 2015

 
 

Ray I am sorry you are having problems and I know when I get down my problems multiply. What has helped me is to find a silver lining and it is not often I cannot find that silver lining. One example is last year in the middle of the night we were on a side street turning into a base when a car being chased by the police lost control of her car and slammed into the rear corner of us. Her and her passenger both had to be cut out of the car as she was running over 100 mph by her own statement. Neither were hurt only bruises. Here is where it gets interesting in that split second she did over $27,000 dollars worth of damage to our truck and it was down for almost two months getting repaired. Bob also gained CSA points for an accident, an ambulance called for her and her passenger, and her car had to be towed. No silver lining right? It was the pits and it was the pits it happened to us oh and she had no insurance. The silver lining is HUGE. IF we had to be hit and obviously we did she was not killed and we were not hurt, she missed our wide base single and the truck was drivable, we were able to get the truck home to be repaired, we had a back up plan, and that night we met some really very nice and interesting police who were sick over the damage. The police helped us by being calm and telling us what we needed to do, by going over our truck and helped us to decide if we could continue on, and while they were at all of that they had a million questions about the Cascadia, Expediters, and how we make a living on the road. Our insurance company took complete care of us with no retaliation and no arguments. So my thoughts were if it had to happen my gosh it was perfect! Everyone walked away and some good came out of that night for us and really for the police that we talked with. Sometime though things happen and it takes a good friend to get in your face and say look it could have been a lot worse go with what you have and make it better.

October 11, 2013 10:29:53 AM

Linda, I am glad to hear that you were able to change. Being a Negative Nelly is the one thing that if I could snap a finger and change that would be it. It does nothing but bleed over into every single aspect of my life and not in a good way. I'm sure it does nothing but drag the people around me down as well. I have often offered an apology to friends and family for being this way, as if an apology was some sort of blanket coverage, or a get out of jail free card for putting them through being around someone like me

I have tried working on it in the past, but with what seems like an onslaught of bad luck over the past six months or so, I have slipped into a freefall of Negative Nelliness. So, as my wife tells me, it's time to try again to go from being Negative Nelly to Positive Polly. Thanks for your encouragement!!

October 11, 2013 8:08:05 AM

Ray it has been no easy battle for me... It took me years and even changing some of my friends many years ago to learn to be proactive. I literally went from a person that used over the counter drugs to keep me on an even balance to waking up with a smile and positive attitude. When I learned to be proactive my whole outlook on life changed for the better. When I get around negative people or people who are victims I run for the hills as I never want to fall into that trap again. Ray you can do it!

October 11, 2013 7:33:06 AM

Thank you, Linda. I just learned that I have a reactive personality; something I didn't know or think about before. Now I just have to decide what to do with this information. I would like to think that a reactive personality could magically transform overnight into a proactive personality. I definitely need a major change in my life and this looks like a great place to start!! Thanks for the article!!

October 11, 2013 7:19:22 AM

Thank You Rob & Patty appreciate your comments.

October 10, 2013 3:47:55 AM

Thank You Rob & Patty appreciate your comments.

October 10, 2013 3:47:42 AM

I am gonna get that book, Linda, thanks, I just love your blogs! I thought your truck looked different from when we met you all in Dallas!! Looks good. Safe travels to all this weekend!!

October 09, 2013 15:37:37 PM

That's a great book Linda. I have the audio version on my iPhone and have listened to it.

October 09, 2013 10:41:49 AM

Thank You Craig I think Bob did a fantastic job with these skirts and they do compliment the Trailer Tail.

October 09, 2013 9:16:55 AM

My favorite quote relating to this subject is by Henry Ford. If think you can or think you can't your most likely right.

October 09, 2013 9:16:08 AM

That is a sharp looking truck! The custom make side skirts are very nice. I hope you see a good improvement with the new addition.

I agree Linda, worrying about things beyond our control is a waste of time. Learn all you can and plan to succeed.

October 09, 2013 8:20:07 AM