How I'm grinding it out (in life and books)

Another day, another book in the books.

I’ve really tightened up my schedule of late to ensure I am off my computer/phone by around 9pm each night, which gives me at least 30 minutes to read before bed (if not more).

I think it’s important to cut off screens for sleep quality purposes, and to read physical books for learning and relaxing before bed (I guess the Kindle things are fine, I just prefer the real thing. There’s something about feeling and flipping real pages, ya know?).

Anyway, this is all part of tightening up my game in general:

• getting a quality 8 hours of sleep

• eating clean

• walking for at least 1 hour per day

• working efficiently during working hours

• enjoying my time otherwise with family and friends

• reading each day and not wasting time scrolling instead

That sort of thing.

It’s going well, which means I feel healthier, my energy is higher and my output is better.

In a sort of ironic twist, guess what book I just finished?

Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc, aka the founder of McDonald’s. I say ironic because as much as I love the book, his story and business advice, I’m certainly avoiding eating at McDonald’s these days.

It’s the second time reading it because as most of you know by now, when I read a good book, I usually end up re-reading it every 3-4 years, especially biographies/memoirs of successful entrepreneurs.

The first big thing that stuck out to me: many people probably don’t know that Kroc didn’t discover McDonald’s until he was in his 50s! So if you’re like me, grinding it out in your 30s (or 20s, or even 40s), and still not a millionaire (not that it’s the only market of success, of course), have no fear. We have lots of time.

Kroc talks about it a decent amount in the book, namely that most don’t realize his “overnight success” at McDonald’s, which happened quite quick once it got started, was about 30 years in the making.

Another important lesson stems from the title - Grinding It Out - wherein he spends a lot of time talking about the pure force he was in getting the company off the ground. Grinding it out, working long hours, sweeping floors in his restaurants, travelling, doing whatever needed to be done to will this little restaurant business into what it is today.

It wasn’t a fancy business. Starting out they just sold hamburgers, fries and drinks, and look where it is now!

Kroc wasn’t some genius, and he admits it. But he saw the opportunity, was a great salesman and worked hard as hell to grow it above all else.

One last piece that relates to my intro above and his hard work is how he described his sleep. More specifically, he explained that while he usually didn’t sleep for long (5-6 hours per night), he slept as hard as he worked. Probably because he worked so hard, he would crash at night and be out cold for that time he needed to recharge for the next day.

Do with that as you will.

And remember: you’re not too slow or late. You’re on your own path, your own journey, and assuming you keep grinding it out, you’ll get to where you’re meant to be.

Up next? Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow. This thing is a mammoth so it may take me some time, but I’ll keep you posted on progress. And if you want to read it too and discuss it when we’re done, let me know!

Have a great day,

Josh Schachnow

Canadian lawyer, CEO at Visto.ai

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