November 2020

Page A18 NOVEMBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A By Mark Bowser Success leaves clues. In order for us to become winners, we must watch winners. That is true in business and that is true in our individual lives. Last month in this column, we explored Benjamin Franklin’s Rules For Failure . They were the traits that he went great lengths to avoid. This month and next month, we are going to delve into Frank- lin’s opposite strategy for success. Not only did he have certain traits he wanted to avoid, he also had certain quali- ties that he knew if followed would lead to great success. So, we are going to take another look at good old Ben. If we model what he did, think what he thought, be- lieve what he believed, learn what he learned, then we will get similar results as he did. Modeling is one of the fundamental strategies for success. Anything you want to achieve has probably already been done before. You know the old saying that “there is nothing new under the sun.” We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We just need to adapt the wheel to suit our purposes. Benjamin Franklin had a goal of Moral Perfection. Even though it isn’t humanly possible to reach such a goal, Franklin believed the endeavor for perfection made him a happier, more successful person. Franklin discov- ered that this habit was the key to success. He observed, “It was about this time I conceiv’d the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish’d to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natu- ral inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more dif- ficulty than I had imagined. While my care was emply’d in guarding against one fault, I was of- ten surprised by another; habit took the advan- tage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous, was not The Foundations of Success for Funeral Directors sufficient to prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of con- duct. For this purpose I therefore contrived the following method.” Franklin’s method consisted of 13 virtues. He would fo- cus on one virtue at a time. He would spend one week focusing on that virtue and then he would move on to the next virtue. Every night, Franklin would record his progress in a journal. He would mark every transgression he made that day not only in the virtue he was currently studying, but in all 13 virtues. We might describe this exercise as a lot of hard work or one that takes too much time. Well, the road to success has never been easy, and that is why there is plenty of room at the top. Success is hard work. You have to struggle to get the success train out of the station. But once you are down the tracks a mile or two, the success momentum will begin to push you along like a Spring wind at your back. Let’s take a look at Ben’s 13 Virtues of Success. It may just be the recipe you have been looking for… One, TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. Franklin believed in being in control of mind and body. If we are not self-controlled, then is it possible to suc- ceed? Usually not. Any success that we might achieve while being out of control would be temporary at best. Two, SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. Remember what our moms taught us when we had a conflict with a sibling or friend? If your mom is anything like mine, you probably heard a thousand times that “if you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all.” That is still good advice today. Thanks, Mom! Three, ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. It has been said that many people spend an extra four hours every week looking for something they know is on their desk. Sound familiar? This happened to be the virtue that Franklin struggled with the most. For many of us, order is not an easy task. But, success moves with order. Success abhors chaos. Athletes talk about getting “in the zone,” writers and speakers talk about the “muse that flows,” and mothers talk about bedrooms that – well, you know…are “neat.” Success and order go hand in hand. I am not saying your desk, office, or room has to be spotless. What I am saying is that you have to have an order that works for you. Arrange your space so that everything you need on a consistent basis is in easy reach. Arrange your time in a way that improves your productivity. Find what works for you and then stick with it. Four, RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. First, set a goal. A rock solid, gotta have it, dream to achieve. Now, go do it! Take action on something to- day that will move you closer to that objective. Five, FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing. Be wise with money. Be a good steward of everything you have been given. Don’t forget, that includes the talents the good Lord has given you too. We will continue our discussion next month with the re- maining virtues. To view a video on this topic from one of Mark Bowser’s live seminars then go to https://youtu.be/NXRBFB8cLvM Excerpted and adapted from Mark Bowser’s Seminar, The Foundation of Success for Funeral Directors . To schedule Mark Bowser as a speaker for your next event or conference then email mark@BrightCorporation.com or visit www.MarkBowser.com Mark Bowser is the Vice President at one of the funeral indus - tries premier stationary publishers, the Bright Corporation, and one of the top Professional Business Speakers in the United States. He is the author of several books including The 3 Pillars of Success for Funeral Directors and Sales Success with Zig Ziglar. He can be reached at 1-800-428-6424 or email mark@BrightCorporation.com. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.nomispublications.com Monthly Columns online at 13 Secrets to Successful Living (Part 1 of 2) FigTree Print Celebrating Life Customized Memorial Stationery Designed to reflect each individual loved one. Exceptional Quality • Reliable Service 24/7 Availability • Next Day Delivery Call today and learn the FigTree Print difference. 978.503.1779 • m.petie@figtreeprint.com Personalized funeral stationery that makes all the difference. Victoria “Viki” Williams December 15, 1944 - April 11, 2019 Barbara McIntyre April 4, 1938 December 11, 2019 ServedProud StevenJ.Wagner May 21, 1948 April 4, 2019 Barbara H. Little April 6, 1945 January 25, 2019 InLovingMemory Joseph Robert Sand August1,1932 -March25,2019 In Loving Memory InLovingMemory Ellen Corley May 12, 1032 -March 15, 2019 figtreeprint.com ASD Introduces “Meet the Director” Web Series to Showcase the Work of Funeral Directors MEDIA,PA— ASD–Answering Service for Directors is pleased to introduce a new web series that promotes and showcases the work of its clients. The new series, ti- tled Meet the Director, will feature funeral professionals sharing stories about the experiences that have made their careers rewarding. Each month, Craig Meehan, ASD’s national sales manager, will host funeral directors who have compelling stories to share. The series will be hosted on YouTube at bit.ly/asdmeetthedirector . The COVID-19 pandemic has truly put into full focus just how essential funeral professionals are to our society and the families who rely on them. ASD’s goal in creat- ing this series was to shine a spotlight on the often over- looked work of the funeral service profession and to give funeral directors an opportunity to explain, in their own words, how they approach their work. “The Meet The Director web series is not about ASD or the services we offer. Our primary objective in this series is to pro- mote our clients and showcase the amazing work they do on a day-to-day basis,” explains Meehan. “We hope that anyone who watches can learn from the stories presented in each epi- sode. The funeral profession is comprised of the most com- passionate and caring individuals whom communities turn to in their time of absolute need. Funeral directors are very im- portant essential workers, but are seldom acknowledged for the work they do. Now that people are glued to their screens, we are given the perfect chance to feature their stories and en- sure they get the credit they deserve.” In the first episode, ASD shares the story of the Robbins family who turned to the Einan’s at Sunset Gardens Fu- neral Home in Richmond, WA after the devastating loss of their 16-year-old son, Christian. Christian’s father, Ted Robbins, joins the show along with funeral directors, Hol- ley Sowards and Ron Swanson to explain how this celebra- tion of life named, “Christian’s Campfire” came to light. In this candid conversation, Holley and Ron unveil how they transformed their funeral home into a campground-themed service while Ted recalls how his family’s collaboration with the funeral home team helped them achieve such a mean- ingful service for Chris- tian amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and time con- straints. The episode can be accessed on YouTube at bit. ly/christianscampfire. “We’re not a firm that’s go- ing to say no. Every life has a story and to respect that life at the most critical time, for the family, to be able to start heal- ing through honoring his wishes, that was our first priority here,” explains Swanson. “It was really an experience for all of us that will be talked about forever. Christian even though he’s gone has made an impact on everybody here and is still making an impact so we were honored to be a part of that.” The Robbins family sadly lost Christian to mental ill- ness, which led to suicide. Christian was an intelligent, very self-aware young man who was advocating for men- tal health issues. In the interview, Ted discusses how the funeral home staff was instrumental in helping him and his family, heal after such a difficult and traumatic loss. His inspiring words really capture why funerals are so crucial to helping families cope with their grief. Dur- ing this episode, Christian’s mission was highlighted by showing a video he made with his thoughts on mental health and where we need to move forward. “We are honored to be able to share this incredible story and shine a spotlight on how crucial funeral directors are in helping families heal from difficult losses,” says Mee- han. “If you or someone from your funeral home team is interested in being featured in an upcoming episode of Meet the Director, please do not hesitate to contact me. Whether you’re brand new to the funeral profession or have been serving families for decades, Meet the Funeral Director was created to shine a spotlight on why this ca- reer path is one of the most rewarding.” To learn more or to inquire about being featured in an up- coming episode of Meet the Director, please call 800-8686- 9950 or email Craig@myASD.com. www.nomispublications.com ADS Classified Online