By Younas Chaudhary
Whether working in an office or in oilfields across the country, I have worked with good intent throughout my life. Starting my career at $3.31 an hour in Canada in the 1970’s, I was hungry to make money and eager to work hard despite hardships around me. The fire in my belly pushed me hard and I was relentless. Neither Arctic freezing conditions nor the lack of spoken English could stop me from going where I wanted.
How could I intentionally build a better life? How could I earn more money? I worked almost four jobs daily, seven days a week and was laser focused on making money to help my family. My friends invited me to clubs on the weekends, but I stayed away. I kept my good intentions to improve my life and pushed aside anything that got in my way.
In the late 1970’s when I got an opportunity to scout for oil in Kansas, I did not hesitate for a moment. I took a calculated risk leaving a cushy Canadian government job with plenty of benefits and arrived in the middle of Kansas with virtually nothing except the desire and hope to do better.
I have learned through practice that when you come to work every morning, be intentional in what you want to accomplish; it will pay off in the long run. My workdays began with jotting down my “to do” list in a notebook. There was no iPhone or computers and my priority task every morning was to contact landmen and pumpers in the oilfields. I would often jot down ideas to cut costs and enhance operational efficiency. Almost all my evenings were spent calling field pumpers and, in those days, we just had land lines and sometimes those huge Radio Shack phones. I was religious about this daily schedule and hardly wasted time on anything else.
Despite my good intentions, there were days when I felt like not working or not doing things that I disliked. Yet, I persisted and often perked myself up with positive thoughts. On the weekends, I visited oilfields, talked to pumpers in person and advised them to make positive adjustments so that the fields operated efficiently. I hardly ever missed a deadline. If my coworker or oilfield pumper wanted to meet me, I always made myself available for them!
My intent to work hard and make money never fell by the wayside. I picked up habits that later became daily rituals, like waking up at the crack of dawn without an alarm. In recent years, I have been doing yoga and walking for 30 minutes daily without making excuses to myself. With success, I rewarded myself by purchasing homes in desirable areas in Houston, owned nice cars, and improved my life.
I have learned that doing small things and taking a careful, intentional approach will help you in the long run. Eventually, they will become your habits that you can easily apply in your life.
My initial intent to make more money has now shifted to philanthropy. I feel there is nothing more joyfully rewarding in life than giving and sharing your money quietly to help other people and for worthy causes you believe in. Blessings!
Disclaimer
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not represent the opinions of any entity with which I have been, am now, or will be affiliated. Further, I make no warranty regarding the accuracy or effectiveness of my recommendations, and readers are advised to consult other advisors as well as their own judgments in making business decisions.
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