Riley posted his “Hustle Stats” in the Knicks’ locker room after every game. Without any additional comment on his part, so the story goes, Riley’s players became a top-level team.

Focus on results, yes, but keep an eye on your level of effort to reach the top.

• “Just do your job.” Your job description is a bare minimum. Fulfilling it means you’ll probably keep your job, but you won’t stand out when managers are deciding whom to promote. Push the envelope a little so your boss sees that you’re committed to helping the organization, not safeguarding your position.

• “Never say ‘No.’” You can’t do everything, or know everything, or even attempt everything your boss asks you to. Be willing to admit that you don’t have the answer, or that you don’t have time for every assignment. Then work with your boss to solve the problem and accommodate his or her needs.

• “Always go for the promotion.” You don’t have to accept more responsibility than you’re ready for, or a management position that doesn’t match your goals. Pursuing advancement for its own sake may lead you on a career path you don’t really want. Be sure of what you’re going for, and let your manager know what you’re interested in. Then get to work preparing yourself for the position you want.

• “Network constantly.” Aim for quality, not quantity, when you network. A “contacts” list with 700 names of people who barely know you won’t be much help when you need specific assistance; instead, be selective so you can maintain solid connections with people who can really help you with your career.

Most of us know the tradition of Groundhog Day. On Feb. 2, the legend goes, a groundhog that comes up out of its burrow to check the weather will go back inside if it sees its shadow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. But if the sky is cloudy and it casts no shadow, the harsh winter weather is over.

Punxsutawney, Pa., hosts the best-known Groundhog Day event, featuring “Punxsutawney Phil” (who gained fame in the 1993 film Groundhog Day), but other towns in Pennsylvania and Maryland hold similar celebrations.

Where does the legend come from? It may have origins in ancient European beliefs involving a badger or a bear as a weather forecaster, as well as the Pagan festival Imbolc, whose traditions point to a bear or a serpent as a herald of good or bad weather. In the United States, Groundhog Day can be traced back to 1841, when a Pennsylvania shopkeeper wrote in his diary that that Candlemas day (Feb. 2) was the day on which, “according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.”

So keep an eye out for the groundhog’s report, and dress appropriately.

This is a big year for us at Jones & Associates! This year we will celebrate 25 years in business. Throughout that time, we have faced many challenges and enjoyed many triumphs. To be honest, the challenges we have faced have probably taught us much more than the triumphs. I once read that the food that’s grown as we endure the valleys of life is the food that sustains us on the mountain top. There is a lot of wisdom there. It is also a lesson worth concentrating on as you walk through tough periods in your life. It helps in understanding the value of pain and trials. It seems that most anything can be endured if there is an expectation that the pain will end at some point and that there is the potential for a payoff at the end of your suffering. Christians always have the promise that ultimately the pain will end and that there is an eternity of peace and joy awaiting them.

Regardless of what you are experiencing in your life right now, I pray you can realize blessings that you are experiencing. You have a God that loves you and wants the best for you. Perhaps we can join together in making this the year we practice having an “attitude of gratitude”. Join me in focusing on what’s right, rather than what’s wrong. Together let’s concentrate on the positive and constructively work on the things we can improve!

May 2012 be your best year ever! We thank you for positively impacting our business and our lives. You’re the best!!

We found this unique practice very rewarding. While I’ve received a lot of great gifts over the years, this is the only gift I can remember bringing a tear to my eye…

Our improvement is a result of getting hold of some of the “basics” of the game.  One of the first lessons we learned was the importance of positioning.
If you concentrate on controlling the center of the court, it makes it much easier to reach an opponent’s shot.  We also learned the value of anticipating where your opponent’s shot will travel.  In racquetball, it is possible to play off several walls on a single shot.  Hence, it is essential to anticipate the angle the ball will travel to be in position to make a return shot.  Finally, we’ve learned the importance of going for the ball.  We’re constantly amazed at the consistency we can reach an opponent’s well placed shot if we just “go for it” with gusto!

In many ways, the strategy we’ve learned in racquetball can be applied
to living a purposeful life.  Just like in racquetball, we need to find the center of our life’s court.  What’s important to us?  What excites us?  What drives us?  These are the areas of our life that we are probably most gifted in and where we need to invest ourselves.  Many of us spend too much time hanging around
by the wall or in a corner to ever consistently make life’s good shots.  We also need to learn to anticipate what life is going to throw at us.

Sure, we sometimes get thrown a curveball that we don’t anticipate and it may bring about a setback.  Most of the time, life is rather predictable.  Once we learn the “angles” of the racquetball court, we become a more proficient  player.  Once we become a student of life’s angles, we can better anticipate the myriad of opportunities we can be faced with.  Foreknowledge gives us the chance to prepare in advance the reaction that will serve us best.  Lastly, in life, we need to develop the practice of “going for it.” Hesitation is going to result in never hitting many racquetball shots that could have been made.

In life, hesitation many times equals missed opportunity.  Missed opportunity to take advantage of vocational success, a ministry opportunity, or just the chance to help our fellow man.  Missed opportunity because we haven’t preprogrammed ourselves to “go for the ball” when opportunity arises.

Think about it!  Have you determined the center of your life’s court?
Are you a student of life’s angles? Are you preprogrammed to “go for it”?
I look forward to seeing you on the court.

I suppose that each of us could and should pro-actively invest some time just
“thinking”.  It’s rewarding, but with so many things screaming for our attention, we must be very purposeful in our pursuit of “thinking” time.

My wife, L’Anna, who is responsible for our newsletter, told me it was time to get my article ready.  That nudge got me to “thinking” about our company, how we do our business and our relationship with our customers. As I  considered all of those things, I came up with a simple list of what I think folks are looking for when choosing to work with a construction company.  It’s also
the blueprint for how we attempt to build and maintain our business every
day.  I think people are looking for a company who:

*Shows up when they say they will

*Insists on high quality products

*Provides high quality installation

*Doesn’t leave in the middle of the job

*Prices work fairly

*Provides service after the sale

That’s it!  It’s not rocket science, but seems to be what every one of our customers is looking for.  That list describes our daily routine and thousands of West Texas homeowners have taken advantage of that offering.  For their patronage, we are grateful.  I hope our competition doesn’t start “thinking” and come up with their own similar list.

We might lose some of our competitive advantage. If you refer us to someone you know for siding, windows, or metal roofing, you can be confident that we are going to stick to our plan.  Our goal is to provide consistent, over-the-top service to every customer we deal with.

Thank you again for your business!!

If you have old wooden or aluminum single pane windows and you replace
them with new, insulated windows, you will accomplish a lot more than just
saving utility dollars.  New replacement windows are also a great way to update the appearance of your home and eliminate exterior maintenance.  Our
windows look great and do not require any painting or caulking.  There is also a convenience factor to consider.  Our insulated windows do not require a storm window.  So you only have one window to open when you want some fresh air versus wrestling with your old window AND a storm window.  You can also tilt the sashes in for cleaning purposes. That, you can clean both sides of your window and never go outside!

Many people fear the hassles of replacing their windows and figure that it is a big mess.  Not true.  We have installed over 30,000 replacement windows.  We have the process down to a fine science.  Many times, we can replace a whole house full of windows in one day!

If you are thinking about new windows, give us a call. We will come out, show you some options and figure it up for you.  As always, if you do not want to pursue the job, we will not be hard to get rid of.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Can you believe how fast this year is flying by?  Springtime is a great time!  The grass is getting green, the wind starts dying down and we get to celebrate Easter!  As I’ve gotten older, Easter has far eclipsed Christmas as my most
cherished, special day.  For those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, Easter is a monumental occasion.  Surely we are sobered by the recognition of
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to pay our sin debt.  But, just as important, we can joyously celebrate His resurrection from the tomb.

Believers who have invited Christ into their lives are supernaturally allowed to participate in His crucifixion AND His resurrection.  Christ lends us His
righteousness so that we are found innocent before God and supplants within us His eternal life.  No longer are we bound to a life of sin or have the need to fear death.  That is the good news of the gospel and gives believers cause to celebrate!  If you are a believer, celebrate and bask in the love that has been lavished on you by God.

If you have never taken the step of inviting Jesus into your life and
feel led to learn more about a relationship with Him, act now!  Call someone you know who is a believer or a local pastor and ask them to tell you more.
Jesus not only wants to bless you with eternal life with Him, but also wants to live in and through you now.

Forgive me if you are offended by a spiritual message in what is normally a business communication, but frankly, as badly as I want to serve your home improvement needs, your spiritual state is of much greater importance than whether you ever buy siding, windows, or a metal roof from our company.

Have a great Spring and please call me if I can be of service to you!

We consider ourselves very fortunate!  We’re fortunate to live in West Texas and work for the finest customers to be found anywhere in the nation.

As owners, my wife and I are fortunate to work with some of the greatest people.  From our office staff, to our service specialists, to our sales people, to our excellent crews who are associated with Jones & Associates, you can’t find better folks!  One of the secrets to the success we have enjoyed is the fact that all of our associates take such a personal interest in their work.

I don’t know of anyone working with, or for Jones & Associates, who is there solely for a paycheck.  They enjoy their work and appreciate the opportunity to serve the home improvement needs of our customers.  Going to work is a joy when you are associated with people you like and do something you enjoy.  It’s like the old saying, “Find something you enjoy doing and you never have to WORK another day in your life.”  That’s where we’re at and we’re blessed to be
able to say that.

As always, we invite you to continue sharing our name with your friends,
family, and neighbors who are considering a home improvement project.  Our business hinges on your positive impression of your dealings with our company and your willingness to tell others about us.  Thank you for your
trust and confidence.