To Hustle Takes No Skill At All (Keeping And Advancing In Your Pest Control Job)

I played football as a youngster and had dreams of being a Green Bay Packer running the ball like my favorite running back # 42 John Brockington. He wasn’t the greatest back who ever lived but he was the first NFL back to gain 1000 yards in each of his first 3 years as a pro but his career fizzled soon after that. The one thing I remember most was he ALWAYS kept his legs churning and would power through would be tacklers rather than running around them. Besides, Brockington! Who wouldn’t want that studly sounding name?

When I played I was the smallest player on every team I was on. I could barely block because I’d get tossed around like a rag doll, couldn’t defend because I wasn’t able to even jump high enough to knock down a pass. In 8th grade my jersey went all the way to my ankles and it looked like I had pillows stuffed down my pants when I tucked it in. In 1976 our team won the City Championship and I’m proud to say I was involved in every game. No I didn’t start as full back (I was 4th string for that position), instead I was put in on the special teams and it was all because of one attribute. HUSTLE. One game in particular was our cross town rival Roosevelt, they had the biggest meanest SCARIEST player in the State. My job was to weasel through the fray and latch on until our players could get to him and bring him down. Talk about hitting a stone wall, I gave this guy my best flying comanche all game long and never made a dent. There was one return when the only thing between him and the goal line was me and the collision was horrific. (for me that is) That guy flattened me like a bug and was on his way. In pure desperation I was able to grab his foot and held on for dear life. While it seemed like forever and he kicked like a mule to shake me free I held him up just long enough and he never found the end zone as my guys finally got him down. The coach always said.

“Hustle doesn’t take any skill and you don’t have to be the biggest guy on the field to have it. If you want to play-YOU have to hustle.”

So hustle I did and if you caught the ball on a punt or kick off you had one crazy little green smurf flying through the air you were gonna have to deal with long before the big guys ever got to you.

You Should Be A Green Smurf

I tell this story to illustrate something that I as a company owner want to see in anybody who works for me and I’m sure you’re being looked at for too whether you know it or not. You don’t have to be an A.C.E. who is polished in both knowledge and presentation but it makes all the difference in the world if you at least,

‘Get Down The Field.’

Now I realize this is a technical industry and you’ve got to be able to pick things up, learn fast and have a real understanding of your job. I’m not saying that hustle alone will secure your job or get the management talking in their meetings about you being a future prospect BUT….. Without it, you’ll never be considered and if by chance you climb a rung or two in your company you’ll most likely be a huge disappointment to yourself and to those you are charged to lead.

Not The Easiest Gig

Pest control is a great job and yes I know the pay and benefits don’t always match the work but how many jobs do? Sure Doctors start off

making great money but did you consider the years of eating cold pizza they endured on a shoe string budget in school before making it? It may not be a glamour gig at first but I know techs and salesman that do very well. Pest control is also about the only industry that has weathered the great economic downturn we’ve been experiencing whether you live in the sub tropics of Florida or the snowy capped land of the great Northwest. There is so much you can do to ensure your place at any company and even move ahead from improving your knowledge, passing State tests to become certified etc. etc. I’ve seldom seen however any person do these things without at least some drive, willing to work late or get that one last customer across town when it’s not convenient on a Friday afternoon with a 3 day weekend looming. Just like ol Brockington you’ve got to keep moving, churning your legs and while you might not run for 80 yards every time the ball is in your hands, you will break enough tackles where those that matter will notice.

Are You A Hustler? Your Boss Knows & So Do You

Do I sound like a boss here and is this something you’ve heard in a meeting where the mgr. is talking about numbers and goals? I’m sure I do and I know that because I’ve sat in those meetings umpteen times too. What finally broke for me wasn’t one big play or a huge sale that set me up for life. It’s most likely the same thing that’ll break for you and it’s your willingness to charge ahead, put in the work and tackle any obstacle in front of you no matter how big it is.