Noses Pressed To The Window

It's that time of year when kids, particularly those living in straitened circumstances, take vicarious pleasure in gazing longingly at holiday treats. Sweets, baked goods—marzipan, kringles, candy canes, green sugar-coated cookies, endless varieties of toothsome goodies—enough to bring joy to a dentist's heart.

So, little gangs of skinny waifs gather in front of the nearest Sugar Shack, lovingly imagining what might be some day, maybe even next year if things fall right. Ohio State football supporters might be older versions of the little ones experiencing dashed hopes and broken dreams. Full disclosure: I am now one of those Ohio State people wishing for an eight-team playoff, and once was one of the skinny kids at the bakery window.

We face disappointments on the job, too. The project that will transform supply chain performance overnight gets axed. The funding for an upgraded WMS gets put on indefinite hold. Approval for the analyst who could weed out unoroductive inventory gets denied. Doing everything right, meeting all performance objectives, goes unrecognized. And on and on.

What to do? Suck it up. Go out and do your best all over again. Keep slugging. Take another turn at bat. There's a fair chance that the dream has only been deferred. But, maybe not. Maybe you'll never get the cupcake you've earned at the bakery in your neighborhood. Then, it's time to try a new neighborhood, and find a new bakery.

Give it your all at the new place; you will—with stamina, skill, and performance—get in the door and on the other side of the window.