Company Blog

The List We Check Twice (and the Lesson We Learn Once)

by Adam Zack — December 4, 2024

…remember that unchecked boxes don’t define your success, and they certainly don’t define you.

Christmas time is loaded with lists. What gifts to get who. Who’s coming for dinner. What do you need to shop for. What’s the menu. Who to send cards to. Who not to send cards to. Who’s naughty. Who’s nice.

As a kid, my brothers and I always made lists of what we wanted Santa—or, around age nine or so, our parents—to get us for Christmas. The process started early, usually with the Sears catalog landing in September. Pages got marked, items were ranked, and the list evolved over time. We didn’t ask for anything too unrealistic—no motorcycles or ponys—but we kept the goals lofty enough to stay exciting.

Grandparents were all about seeing those lists, and with three sets of them, my odds of crossing items off were pretty high. Christmas morning usually delivered. Thanks to great parents and family, my list was often close to being fulfilled. And since my birthday is a week after Christmas, any stragglers from the list typically made their way to me then. December was basically my personal festival of fulfillment.

But there were moments when I didn’t get what I wanted, and, well… I wasn’t exactly gracious about it. There was one year I didn’t get the Hot Wheels set I’d been eyeing, and you’d have thought someone canceled Christmas. Looking back now, I cringe. Was I a spoiled brat? A total dick? Yep. Absolutely. Who gets that upset over a toy car track?

It may have taken a few years, but I’ve learned that we don’t always get everything we want, whether it’s Christmas gifts, business goals, or even something simple like a returned phone call. That’s just reality. But here’s the kicker: even when things don’t go your way, you can’t be a jerk about it. It’s okay to be disappointed—it’s not okay to let that disappointment ruin the bigger picture.

So, make your lists. Set your goals. Dream big. But remember that unchecked boxes don’t define your success, and they certainly don’t define you. Christmas, like life, is about the process as much as the result. Sometimes things go sideways, but if you’ve learned enough along the way, you’ll know how to handle it with grace.

And for the love of all that’s merry and bright, don’t be a dick.