Lazy or Truly Lazy?
Tech Talk

Are you lazy? Or are you truly lazy?

I once had a boss who called me the Laziest Son of a … who ever worked for him. It was a job where you only worked about 10 minutes every 2 hours. I was doing research in an iron ore pelletizing plant in Northern Ontario in 1971.

One day my boss walked past my desk, where I had my feet up reading a Zane Grey western, and said “You are the laziest SOB who ever worked for me”! I looked up, shrugged and went back to my book.

Six months later, it was time for my performance review. I walked into his office and sat down. He was hanging his head and shaking it. He said, “I don’t know what I am going to do with you. I have been thinking long and hard and I have concluded there is only one thing to do.”

I thought, “I’m fired”.

He raised his head, looked me square in the eye and and said, “Effective immediately, I am doubling your salary.”

“What?” I replied, “But you called me the laziest SOB who ever worked for you.”

“You are. But I will tell you 3 things about a truly lazy person.

1. They always find the easiest way.
2. They always find the fastest way.
3. And they always do it right the first time.”

It is a lesson that has stuck with me since and has become a philosophy of mine on how I approach every task I undertake. It doesn’t matter if I am washing the dishes or building a website. Can I do this better, faster, easier?

My dad taught me that there is nothing wrong with making mistakes, just don’t make the same one twice. So armed with these two approaches to life, I make lots of mistakes on my way to being a truly lazy person. And then I can do it easier, faster and right the first time.

Wishing you become a truly lazy person and a have a Great 2022.