As I sit to write this, it’s 11:00 a.m. and still 8 degrees below zero.  We’re looking for a high that will not reach zero today.  It would be pretty discouraging if you didn’t have the right gear.  But for me, I say bring it on.  I’m ready for winter (with a new snowmobile sitting outside) and I’m raring to go.

It seems I’ve talked a lot about contractors over the last couple of months — no small wonder since I’ve been building a big shop during that time.  I’ve watched as contractors have come and gone and I marvel at how very little motivation most of them have.  They charge a premium price — and could make great money if they’d just get to work — but they piddle around getting very little done until they’ve stretched a 3 – 4 day job into a week or two.

I guess the piece they don’t get is, if you do it in three days you make ‘X”.  If it takes two weeks you still get “X” but you have to divide it over five times as many days, meaning you just cut your wages by 80%.  I don’t know anyone who has a regular job who would put up with an 80% cut in pay, but contractors do it all the time.

One bright spot I had was my siding contractor.  His crew showed up at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t leave until dark (about 6:00 p.m.)  They didn’t take breaks.  They didn’t go to lunch.  They weren’t on their cell phones all day.  They came, they worked hard, they got ‘er done and they made money.  What a concept.

As a person who has made a living helping others maximize the potential of their businesses, contractors drive me crazy.  When I see all the money they’re leaving on the table, I can’t help but think how much I’d like to run their business for just half of what I could save.  They wouldn’t have to pay me anything.  I’d just take half of what they’re leaving out there and I’d be making a fortune.

But alas, that’s not going to happen.  If these people wanted to come at 8:00 a.m. and leave at 5:00 p.m. they’d have a job where they didn’t have to work outside where it’s too hot, too cold, too rainy, too windy, etc. etc.  No, they’re here because they want to make a “reasonable” living without having to put in a full day, day in day out.  They like the freedom to take a cut in pay and go fishing.

But imagine what they could do with a little motivation, a little dedication, a little self-discipline, and a little ambition.  These are talented people.  They have a craft.  They have important skills.  They have everything they need to have everything they could ever want.  It’s a pity you can’t help them see that.

In the mean time, I guess I’ll just spend my days scratching my head and asking myself, “What’s up with these guys?”