Taking Ownership in 2023

Lead by example with humility.

I used to work for a company that painted massive grass logos for NASCAR races. If you’ve never seen a NASCAR race, each event has a logo that’s painted on a grass field between the track and the pit. The logo is roughly the size of a football field. 

My friend’s dad hooked me up with the gig that took place in the first part of March each year. I would work about 100 hours a week and get paid $1,000. Mind you, this was after I finished high school in 2006, so this was pretty good money. I  would travel to Las Vegas Sunday night and work all week to prepare for the big race on Sunday. I would sleep in an old RV at the track’s infield and eat wherever was the closest place—typically a truck stop. 

Our team had to have everything ready for the Friday qualifying session; each day we would work a little later than the day before. We were responsible for painting the large grass logo, the smaller side logos, and the finish line, as well as touching up all of the crash wall logos. On top of everything, we would have to do touch-ups of our work if they were hit during Friday qualifying and the shorter Saturday race.

Looking back on this experience now, it seems crazy to work so hard for $1,000. But I learned one of the most valuable lessons about work while painting logos at a NASCAR track.

The Power of Ownership

During the Friday qualifying session, a few cars went over the big grass logo and roughed up others on the crash wall. This meant that we were guaranteed an all-nighter to prepare the track for Saturday. I worked until 2 a.m. Most of us ended up calling it a night as the morning drew closer. When I woke up, the owner of the company, Dale, was still at it. He was on hour 24 of work. I was amazed by his work ethic and didn’t understand how he was able to keep going.

I asked my friend’s dad how this was possible. He responded with one word, “Ownership.” 

At that moment it all made sense. Dale wasn’t working for a paycheck, he was doing his passion. He had his reputation on the line. He owned his business and wasn’t going to fall short of his promise to get the job done.

I think back on this experience often. Whenever I don’t want to do something, I immediately think about ownership. I think about Dale out on that field all night working, while everyone else went to bed. When you see someone with that kind of dedication, it impacts you.

Taking Ownership in 2023

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one is always time for reflection. I, like many of you, usually have big ambitions for the coming year. My list of 2023 resolutions is small. I want to do one thing well in 2023, which is to take better ownership of my life.

This is clearly a loaded statement because I have dozens of small things I want to accomplish and improve upon. But I won’t be able to achieve any of them without ownership. I want to be healthier. Great! That will require taking ownership of what I eat and do. Nobody else is responsible for the outcome except me. I want to keep working toward my financial goals. Fantastic! I’m the reason for my failures and my successes. No one is going to work harder for me than me.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink to get started. I read this book in 2019 and it changed how I view my work, leadership, health, wisdom, parenting, and more. Once you stop blaming others for your problems, you’ll begin to make progress on yourself.

“Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility. Admitting mistakes, taking ownership, and developing a plan to overcome challenges are integral to any successful team.”

• Jocko Willink

Dale was practicing his own version of Extreme Ownership that night on the track. He was always humble. He admitted his mistakes and developed a plan to complete the work in the time allotted—even if that meant working all night. He didn’t need to boast and brag about what he did to motivate his team. Instead, he led by example with humility.

As you’re writing down your 2023 goals and plans, remember to view them through the lens of ownership. You are the way forward and the hindrance to your own progress. It all comes down to owning the results of your goals—good and bad.

Thank you for your attention and Happy New Year!