How Who influenced you? Where did you get your ability to...(semi long post)

[JC316]

My dad taught me everything I know when it comes to pretty much every skill I have. He is a great mechanic, but has never done it professionally, he still takes me to school on certain things in automotive work. My mom taught me to be smart with finances and getting around the rules.

[turbostang]

My father got me started because we'd work on the cars, build the furniture, everything. I remember when I was a kid I'd take things apart and try to put them back together, when I couldn't I'd always get my dad to put it back together. I can't remember when, but at some point I stopped needing his help to put things back together. The most infamous story I've got is my father had a brand new drill that I took apart, it never worked right after that. He was pissed. lol

I think I'm to the point now where in order to progress much farther I need to find someone I can apprentice under and watch how they do things. I don't know how to run a CNC machine, a mill, or a metal lathe, but it wouldn't take me long to figure it out, and machining stuff sounds like it'd be a ton of fun for me. I love building stuff.

THat reminds me of when I was real young - I wanted to help my dad work on his car. He told me to go inside and watch TV or something (I was too young to do any good at the time). So, instead of going inside, I just sat and patiently waited.. He finally went inside to get a drink or something. I got ALL of his screw drivers out of the toolbox and pounded them into the ground till thye were flush. I'll never live that one down. For the longest time, I had to go inside when he went in.

[jluv]

Personality-wise, I take a lot of influence from both my mother and my father, even though they are vastly different.

I also was/am influenced quite a bit by my maternal grandfather.

As for work, I'm in sales, and I think part of my ability comes from my personality (see above). But, as far as direct influence on how to successfully sell a product or service, it started when I worked at Radio Shack right out of high school (1995). I was making peanuts selling fuses and batteries, but we could make big spiffs selling cell phone service for AT&T out of the store (and eventually out of a kiosk in the nearby mall). Most of the guys there would sell 2 or 3 per month, but there was one guy there, an older Indian dude named Ricardo, who sold them like hotcakes. He was making WAY more money than everyone else, and I wanted a piece of the action. He was kind enough to take me under his wing, show me a few things to say, but most importantly, showed me that the main thing was simply being aggressive and asking every person I saw for the sale.

I guess in reality, I had enough natural skill to close people down from that point, because I know a lot of people wouldn't get past the first objection or question, but I also realize that plenty of capable people don't make sales because they don't try often enough.

Once I had some success in the industry, I climbed my way up through different roles with different companies, and pretty much learned everything else I've learned from experience, training, and observing all of the successful people around me.

So ya, I guess coworkers have really had the most influence on me, professionally. I didn't learn it in school, and I didn't learn it from my parents.

[racrguy]

THat reminds me of when I was real young - I wanted to help my dad work on his car. He told me to go inside and watch TV or something (I was too young to do any good at the time). So, instead of going inside, I just sat and patiently waited.. He finally went inside to get a drink or something. I got ALL of his screw drivers out of the toolbox and pounded them into the ground till thye were flush. I'll never live that one down. For the longest time, I had to go inside when he went in.

The trick is not to send the kids inside, but to have them help you with menial stuff. Hold the flashlight, go get tools, then work 'em up to where they're doing the work themselves.

[80coupe]

my dad i can remember working on his 83chevy truck every weekend pretty much after that i was hooked and still am. my uncle and grandpa where very good mechanic's so id like to think its heredity to. but i can remember taking my dad brand new lawn mower apart lol had every part all over the yard need less to say he had to buy another one and the ass whooping wasn't to fun ether.

[svauto-erotic855]

When it comes to my love of cars I have to say my neighbors dad. He had a 289 Cobra with 4 webers and a 57 T-Bird. Until I saw those cars I didn't gave a damn about anything with 4 wheels. I learned to drive a stick @ 13 on those 2 cars.

When I comes to my abilities with cars I have to give Bob Norwood credit. He got me pointed in the right direction at an early age.

[DieselSmoke]

I got my love of cars from my stepfather. I went to Hudson Middle School in Sachse, right next door to Sachse Rod Shop. Every day when i got off school i would walk to the shop and stay until close. I would sit at the this table and was suppose to be doing my home work but instead i would watch these cars being built. My stepfather and i fought like dogs, especially when i was in high school, and he never personally taught me. But i paid attention and got my passion for old classics because of him. After my mother died we became real close and in a perfect world i would be working there in a heartbeat.

But somewhere down the road i developed a passion for airplanes, from know one in particular, and thats what i do now.

[Cannon]

Hate