Growing up Tremendous

When I was growing up my Dad, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, would often take me on speaking engagements with him. When I was small enough for him to still pick me up in his arms, he would call me up on stage at the end of his presentation and, stepping up to the microphone, would ask me a couple of questions.

He’d say, “Tracey, how are you?” and I’d shout out, “Tremendous!!!”

Then he’d ask “Well, how are things going?” and I’d reply “I hope things don’t get any better!!!”

And he’d say “Why?” and I’d chime in “Because I’m so tired of being happy, it’s wearing me out!!!”

Needless to say, you can gather how important Dad felt that attitude was to every aspect of life. Circumstances were nothing! It was all about how you responded. And the older I get, the more grateful I am that he reinforced this lesson time and time again.

People would routinely ask Dad how he became successful.  He’d answer, “Good Judgment.” Then they’d ask how to get good judgment. Dad would reply, “Experience.” And they’d ask how to get experience, and Dad would say, “Poor Judgment!”

Even as a child, I always knew this was true. Do you know what it’s like when you approach life from a standpoint that to attempt something wholeheartedly and fail is the greatest thing that can happen? It gives you confidence; it means I attempted 100 things my peers wouldn’t have. It means I grew my experience bag at an exponential rate and gathered keys to unlock almost any door I try to go through. Now I’m not saying that you should deliberately fail. But if you do have the skill, don’t let a fear of failure prevent you from accepting the opportunity, or job, or relationship. The worst that can happen is that you’ll learn something! And in one of life’s greatest paradoxes…that is truly the best thing that can happen to a human being.  Living is learning and learning is living.