Good Things Come to Those Who Grind

By John Nocero
john.nocero@barberinstitute.org

Last Thursday evening, 8pm. I am sitting in my office because I cannot get an Excel formula to work. The phone rings. It’s my wife. She asks me why I am still at work. I got in that morning at 6am – 14 hours later, still at the desk. “John, go home. It will be there in the morning. Go eat. Go workout. Come back to it.”

Sure it will be there. As will the failure in my mind for not figuring this out. I need to stay.

I have not been in the compliance game a long time but I am constantly amazed at how many parallels exist between the compliance world and the business world. As I conclude my seventh year in compliance, it seems there is always someone who wants something – more money, fancier title – but are not willing to do the work to achieve it. During my first compliance job, there were many late nights at the office, many tears cried out of frustration and pride and many moments of self-doubt. But I persevered, learned, and in time the knowledge came.

There are some people who may characterize other’s achievements as being only fortunate or lucky. What they do not see are the long hours it took to get there – the years of hard work and failure that often predicate individual success. An overnight success is generally achieved in about 10 years. You sacrifice far greater than you get back, because you are focused on doing something. You are not planning, you are taking action. Action offends the inactive. It is not uncommon for people to underestimate how much time and work are necessary.

Anyone who is interested in doing something far greater in compliance should sit down and think about what it is they want to achieve. Then work hard, remain patient and plan carefully. Prepare yourself for the long haul. You’ll never know the way until you start walking it. Then you see it. If you are dreaming of being an overnight success, you are wasting your time. Anyone who is trying to sell you on this is ignorant. Do not let their nonsense distract you. Keep working hard and striving to improve. Good things come to those who grind.

Now, excuse me. I have an Excel formula to figure out.

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