Do you ever wonder how one can cook a ribeye steak with a nice char on it and a perfect red interior from end-to-end? If you figure it out, let me know.
This obsession with ribeye started way back when my mom started letting me in the kitchen. She had only one rule for me – I was not allowed to eat the cookie dough. But I could fry, bake, and grill all I wanted. She did not have to worry about fixing meals any longer. Some of you know that I grew up in Coldwater. In Comanche County, you ate anything that moved or grew. Armadillos were just starting to show up in Coldwater when I moved to Pratt. I would have loved to try cooking one of them, but I’m pretty sure that my mom would have vetoed that escapade. No recipe has ever been good enough for me. Changing it and making it better has been my obsession. We all know that change is good for the soul. My dream was to be a James Beard award-winning chef.
Believe it or not, many people never even voice their dreams, let alone create an actual plan to accomplish them.
Going for it
Do you, as an employee of Stanion Wholesale Electric Co., have dreams? When I started with this company back in 1986, after getting laid off from the oilfield, I had no idea if Stanion was the right choice for me. I started working in the Pratt branch part-time in 1984 while attending Pratt Community College, but I never finished college. About a year later, I opened my mouth and told the Pratt branch manager that I was going to apply for the Junction City Assistant Manager’s job, and I asked him what he thought of that idea. He told me that, if that job was something I was interested in, I should apply. Let’s just say that a clash of personalities kept me from getting that job, fortunately.
From Pratt, I moved east to the Chanute branch in July of 1988 to see if I could help make a positive contribution there. The next stop on my journey was a transfer to the Olathe branch in 1990. After Olathe, I wanted to go out west to Dodge City in 1993. But McPherson is where I landed.
There is no need to tour the state like I did. There are several other Stanion folks who also spoke up and asked for a chance to try their hand at various branches and tour the great State of Kansas. There are others who told their boss that they would like to try a different position and were given new opportunities while staying in the same location.
My advice to each of you is to not be afraid to let your bosses know that you have dreams to move up or move out. If that is what you want in your life, do not let time discourage your dreams. Your bosses will be listening and will try to help you realize your dreams. It may take time to reach your goals, but you won’t regret the journey. There is a saying that goes something like this, “Making a big life change is pretty scary. But there is something that is even scarier. Regret.”
I encourage you to follow your dreams. Let me know if I can help you achieve them.