The Cleveland Trucking industry isn’t always the glitz and glamour you might imagine. Working anywhere in the county as a logistics professional can sometimes be dull. If you are a Freight broker, Freight forwarder, working with Truck load or LTL, flatbed or reefers, it doesn’t matter, if you can’t stay motivated you are going to get bored. I think of time as money and if I am wasting time waiting for work then I am wasting money.
One thing I do to help stay motivated and kill the boredom is by working on parts of the industry we currently aren’t successful in. By spending down time learning the other aspects of this industry I can speak more intelligently about it to our customers if topics ever come up. For example, we are currently growing the flatbed portion of our business and every minute I have away from my day to day routine I am learning about the flatbed industry. Calling carriers and getting feedback, what works and doesn’t work, what information they prefer from their brokers. Information is power and whomever has the most can call the shots. We are a relatively small fish in the flatbed industry but even the smallest fish can make waves if they stay motivated. Instead of twiddling my thumbs waiting for work to do, I like to make the work happen for myself.
Getting comfortable in your daily routine is a breeding ground for boredom and will stop you from seeing your true potential. Getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to build you brand. Don’t know anything about LTL? Call UPS. Don’t know anything about intermodal? Go down to the rail yard. Don’t be afraid to make yourself vulnerable, if you are uncomfortable it probably means you are doing something right and putting yourself in a position to learn. You can’t learn to swim if you don’t get wet and you can’t get wet unless you get in the water. Get out there and make some waves.