Alive And Kicking👍

I'm just imagining a newbie or curious reading this thread and going "wow, now that's supposed to be how it works" and being inspired. Way to go on. Perseverance and Attitude, a winning combination.

Sounds great. Enjoy it. Also, you're right attitude is 100%.

Hey, that's awesome the new job is working out well!

I have been very successful with all the folks I have worked with for one simple reason. I took your advice from the very beginning of simply working hard, and always being professional with a great attitude. That has made me a shining star without exception. So if any new folks here don't believe that it does work I am living proof that it does.

It never ceased to amaze me how you can part the seas in this industry just by smiling, being friendly, and looking decent. Being professional allowed me to make more money over the years simply because I was taken better care of by my own company, by the customers, mechanics on the road, DOT officers, other drivers, and everyone I came across.

Now interestingly enough you guys have seen my picture of when I first started out. I was 21 years old with long hair, black leather boots, and the whole 80's metal thing going on. I didn't look 'sharp and professional' at all in a corporate sense but I was still clean, my hair was washed, I was highly motivated, and I was friendly as hell to everyone I came across. Just being that young made me a novelty to most people out there. Enjoying the hell out of myself, doing a great job, and being fun to be around meant I was given a ton of favors all the time - talked my way out of tickets, was given better freight and more miles from dispatch, was loaded or unloaded early at customers, and even special favors like unplanned 'hometime' when I wound up in Daytona or Bristol and NASCAR was there that weekend. Do you know how cool it is to call up dispatch and say, "Hey man! I'm in Bristol and NASCAR is here this weekend. It's Thursday, I've got time off coming, so I'd like to stay here this weekend. I'm gonna camp out in the truck, I'll make sure no one touches it, and I'll be ready to go Monday. Whatcha think?"

Five minutes later they call back, "Enjoy your racing and take care of that truck. Have fun and be safe."

Yeaaah!!!!! Hit the stores, pick up some meats and a small grill, and camp out the next few days at the races.

So many drivers are just sloppy, grumpy jerks all the time that all you have to do is be a respectable human being and you stand out in the crowd! I've never had to do less to get ahead of my peers in a way that put more money in my pocket. I laughed about that my entire career.