#tryharder

It all started with a picture. A few years ago, a co-worker of mine straddled two parking spots while parking a compact car. I watched them do it, look around to see if anyone noticed, and then walk into the building where we worked. I was sitting in my car listening to the morning DJs talk about the start of our huge station promotion, and I was monitoring to make sure they explained it correctly. You see, I run radio stations for a living, and it's my job to make sure the talent on the radio do and say the right things. It's like babysitting extremely talented and temperamental babies (who usually drink a lot). After they were done talking and started to play the commercial break, I gathered my phone and bag and headed toward the door to the building. As I passed the terribly parked car, I decided to stop and take a picture. I wanted to expose my co-worker on Facebook and have others join in my jeering of their terrible parking job. A part of me just wanted to poke fun at them, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this poor parking job was an extension of something bigger: a sense of entitlement and a slight disregard for others, coupled with plain old laziness. I posted the picture and tagged the co-worker in the photo. My comment consisted of only two words: Try harder. This book is about doing just that. It's about taking a moment to stop and do the right thing. To try a little harder in life and be aware of the people and the world around you. To do right by others and make the additional effort to improve not just your situation, but theirs, as well. I didn't know it then, but that picture and post changed my life. I hope that these chapters may possibly change yours, as well, and encourage you to #Tryharder.