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When you are a youngster, you never think about tomorrow. You take tomorrow for granted, assuming you have an endless string of days ahead of you. You are not aware of the shot clock of life. As the years fly by, you begin to become more aware that there isn’t always going to be a
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We can’t ... put off important things until tomorrow.I was privileged to co-chair huge events for Hartman’s 85th and 90th birthday bashes, which brought in people such as former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz, University of Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight, former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, to name only a few. And Hartman fondly refers to all of them as “my close personal friend.” Sid Hartman is in a league by himself. There are more than 7.6 billion people on the planet, and few work harder than Hartman, even at his age. He reminds me of Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inn, who was asked to give the commencement speech at his high school. He said, “My advice is to work half days every day. And it doesn’t matter which half – the first 12 hours or the second 12 hours.” Hartman is also one of the most competitive people I’ve ever met. He is the only person I know who can follow you in a revolving door and still come out ahead of you. He hates to lose. He understands that competition is healthy. It keeps you sharp. It makes you better. Competition drives people to work harder and dig down deeper to deliver more than they ever thought they could. Hartman may never make it to the baseball or football hall of fame, but if they ever get around to a Close Personal Friends Hall of Fame, he’ll be the first one they call. Talent is a gift, but like many gifts, we often take it for granted. If Sid Hartman had applied equal energy, dedication and perseverance to any other career – sales, for example – I’m positive he would have achieved the same great success he attained as a sportswriter. I’m not quite to Hartman’s age yet, but I’m trying to maximize my shot clock before the game is over. Give me the person who uses 110% of what they’ve got, and they’ll find a way to get the job done when no one else can. Mackay’s Moral: Happy birthday, Sid, and many more! Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times best-seller “Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com.
