This week has been extremely long for me…
After running the machine shop from 6:00am to 2:30pm, then having Lock and Key jobs to do, it has left very little time for anything else.
On Monday, work kept me on the road till 9:00pm, Tuesday was till 12:30am, Wednesday was till 10:00pm, Today (Thursday) looks to be a little better and hopefully I can finish up in time for Family Dinner… You can bet that I will do my best to get home in time to see Harper Grace ðĨ°.
One thing that I learned this week was the importance of following instructions. (And how they can CHANGE!… ðĪĢ)
I received a call from a close Attorney friend of mine on Monday. One of their clients needed a house rekeyed ASAP and wanted to know if I could do it the following day. It was quite a distance out of our “Normal” area of coverage… BUT… it was a “Special Request”, so I decided to accept the job. The job was a 1 hr. and 20-minute drive away, according to Google Maps, so as soon as I locked up the shop on Tuesday, I headed to the house’s address. When I got about 16 minutes away, I called the “Controller” (The person in charge of overseeing the house re-key) and let them know where I was and my ETA…
As I was following the GPS Instructions, I noticed that I went from a decent paved road to a gravel road… Not uncommon for areas around Alabama… THEN, it turned into a 2-tire track gravel road with grass in the center… You might have seen these before… Not a heavy traffic area and looks like it may be traveled once a week or so… Keep in mind, I’m still following the GPS Instructions…
At the end of the “2-Tire Track” road, I came to what looked to be an ATV trail with tall grass and overhanging bushes and limbs on each side… You could barely make out the path, but the GPS still said I was 1/2 mile away from where I needed to be. I stopped of course to check the address… Maybe I entered something wrong?…
I zoomed out on the GPS map and noticed that I had passed a road several miles back which had the same name of the road on the address I entered in on the GPS. I decided I would back down this road till I could find a spot to turn around and then proceed to this “New Road” with the same name.
Once I was on the “New Road” with the correct name, I noticed the GPS kept wanting me to make a “U-Turn” but after a short time it re-routed and gave me an alternate route off the new road. (The GPS still showed the same original destination on the map, just different directions to get there…)
As I’m driving down this road, I realize the numbers on the mailboxes are getting close to matching the numbers on the address. I decided to start looking for the correct numbers on the mailboxes instead of following the GPS recommendations. Normally… “Even” numbers represent the houses on one side of the road and “Odd” numbers represent houses on the other. It just so happened that on this particular road, all the mailboxes were on the same side of the road… (Imagine That… ð)
I ended up at the correct mailbox, which just happened to be 2 Miles away from where Google Maps said I needed to be…
NOW… Which house? the one on the left side of the road or the one on the right?
The “Controller” called and asked where I was, so I explained my surroundings and as luck would have it, I had chosen the wrong side of the road.
Once I pulled up at the correct house, I was informed on the locks that needed to be re-keyed (3 out of the 5 locks where push button entry with no emergency key)
I’m not sure how much you know about Locksmith work, but when you have these Push Button Keypad access locks, to rekey the cylinder, you must take the lock assembly completely off the door. After you remove the screws that fasten the lock halves to each other, you disconnect the wire that transfers battery power from the inside of the lock assembly to the outside keypad… disassemble the key locking side by removing the back off the lock mechanism, carefully separate the internal locking mechanism making sure no parts escape and fall out… Once you have accomplished these tasks, you remove the lock cylinder retaining screw, remove the key cylinder, use a cylinder shim and blank key to get the key cylinder to turn, push the cylinder out of the cylinder housing with a “follower” (Prevents the lock from having a Massive “Come-a-part” with springs and pins flying across the van…) Dump the existing pins, choose and insert the correct pins to match the new key, and reassemble by following the steps in the reverse order… Paying very special attention to making sure all the mechanical parts are lined up correctly when you reassemble the lock so it will function correctly.
NO PROBLEM FOR A PROFFESIONAL LOCKSMITH… ð
Well, turns out that before I left, I had re-keyed 7 such keypad entry locks of various types, many of which had differences in disassembly. (Luckly they all used the same keyway) 4 Deadbolts and 1 very stubborn Knob with no key (which a key is required to take the knob apart to even get to the lock cylinder.)
In short, my day started at 4:30 am and officially ended when I walked back into the house at 12:30 am the following day. ðĨą (Keep in Mind that I must get back up at 4:30am)
What would have been a Game Changer and made things a little easier?
If I would have had clear instructions on how to get from my “Starting Point” to my “Destination” from the very beginning, the travel time would have been shorter… Less wear and tear on my vehicle, less gas used, and positive steps forward would have been made sooner…
If I would have had the correct keys, or should I say “Keys to Fit the existing locks”, I would have been able to Re-Key the locks faster…
If I would have had clear and proper instructions on how each key pad lock was to be disassembled and reassembled, I would have shortened the learning curve of figuring it out on my own…
If I would have known what to expect, how many locks, and what types of locks, I would have been better prepared on the time I would have spent on achieving my final results and finishing the task…
Starting any Business is much the same…Â Â
Wouldn’t it be nice to know what to expect before you even start your Journey?
Wouldn’t “Clear” and “Easy to Understand” instructions make the process simpler than having to figure it all out on your own?
Would having a Simple to follow path to your destination be amazing?
What if you had someone that knew the area you were going to, could give you directions on what roads and obstacles to avoid, even give you some advice on roads that may not even be on the map, to shorten your travel time from point “A” to point “B” …
What would that be worth to you?
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Harper Says:
Yes, you CAN do it on your own…
You can read and following the instructions and get to where you want to be…
EVENTUALLY!
Hi, David!
David, it sounds like you’ve had a really tough week. I’m thinking of you and hoping for a much better one for you this time. Here’s to hoping you have more time with Harper this week ð
I like clear-cut instructions. I don’t like to be told to figure it out. If I have to do that, I look for instructions on Google. LOL!
In fact, when my husband and I were looking into affiliate marketing, he tried quite a few programs right away. I tried it when I found Dean’s instructions. He gives general instructions for affiliate marketing, not just how to sell his stuff.
I like that about him, so I tried his instructions. It’s working!
Looks like it’s working well for you too!
Nakina, thank you for the comment! Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words… Dean and his team have been that picture for me in this business, as well as those in our certified partners group. I love seeing the progress being made in each persons Journey ð We will get to our destination as long as we keep pushing forward!!!
David, Wow, what a journey! Your dedication and attention to detail in your locksmith work are truly impressive. It’s clear that having clear instructions and the right tools can make all the difference in a job like this. Your experience highlights the importance of proper preparation and knowing what to expect. Thanks for sharing your story and the valuable lessons learned along the way, Atif
Atif, Thank you for your comment! It is Hard keeping up with 2 full time jobs and trying to get an online business of the ground (which is another full time job) while at the same time, spending time with the family and getting work done around the house… ðĪŠ We just went back on overtime at the machine shop so that throws another kink in the system… I will get it done! I have too! Thank you for your inspiration and commitment, you are someone I admire and look up to and an example to us all!
People like you amaze me. How do you do it? It’s a massive challenge that only super-humans can cope with. You are clearly one of those. That was a fascinating read. I do hope that your life calms down so you can enjoy the good times more. Best of luck with your many businesses.
Andy, Thanks for the comment! I have to thank my parents and grandparents for my work ethic. I have always been very active in business… Funny thing, my dad retired at the age of 55 and now he is telling me that I need to slow down… I don’t know how, and if I did, I don’t know what I would do with myself. I have been able to prioritize what my values are somewhat. When Harper is around it’s all about me and her ð.