I found a quote from Elinor Smith, a pioneering American aviator, that felt familiar.

Born in New York in 1911, Smith was the youngest licensed pilot in the U.S. by 16, and, at 19, she was voted “Best Woman Pilot in America” thanks to numerous death-defying and record-breaking flights.

 

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In her memoir Aviatrix, Smith noted (emphasis is mine): “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”

I often say PalletOne leaders Happen to the World. I thought I had coined the phrase. It turns out that Smith said something similar more than 40 years ago. I am humbled to be in the company of such a daring innovator.

But let’s break this quote down.

“People of accomplishment.” 

Don’t you want to be known as someone with a record of accomplishment? Over time, you will be known for your impact in the circles where you traveled, the teams you built, the products you produced, and the lives you touched.

“Rarely sit back.”

Accomplishment doesn’t find you. You find accomplishment. Patience is certainly a virtue. But passivity is not. When the day gets going, you must hit your feet and head somewhere. To make a difference, you must intend to make a difference.

“Go out and happen to things.” 

So, what differences are you intending? Today. Right now. What are you working on?

They don’t need to be big things. Big things come from daily getting up and building today on what you did yesterday. And the day before. And the one before that.

-Howe Q Wallace Jr