Living Life by Design

“When I got my first real American job at a local McDonald’s restaurant, it was a lifeline for me…an immigrant who couldn’t speak English, who desperately wanted hope for the future. I knew that flipping burgers was not beneath my dignity. I had a different word for it. I called it Opportunity!

Since I was 16 and in high school, I had to split my shift in half. I would start work at 5:00 a.m. each day, then rush to school, and finally return to work to finish the last five hours of my eight-hour shift. I was up every day at 4:00 a.m. so I could get to McDonald’s on time, and often not return home until after 9:00 p.m. Adding this schedule to my homework made for an extremely long day, but I determined to make it work.

I was so appreciative of my McDonald’s job that I actually painted the Golden Arches on my bedroom wall. It was an impulsive move, but my parents didn’t mind. It was a sign of the pride O felt for the company that had allowed me to work there.

…hard work puts you in a place where good luck finds you.”

From the book, Rule #1…Don’t be #2, by Daniel Milstein. Daniel came to this country a poor Ukrainian immigrant and became a successful CEO and Founder of a Mortgage Company, Sports Management Company, Film Production Company and Book Publishing Company.