Every parent dreams of passing on lasting wisdom to their children.
Recently, Bo told me how he shared three essential keys to finishing well with his son Sam, who has always faced learning disabilities.
His advice resonates deeply with what I’ve learned about succession planning and creating lasting impact.
The Power of Three Simple Truths
Bill told his sixteen-year-old son that everyone needs three things to finish well:
A Good Name
Your reputation - how you treat others, how you conduct business, and how you live your values - becomes your legacy.
A business built on divine purpose makes a profit, blesses its community, and advances that purpose. Your name carries the weight of these actions.
Phenomenal Work Ethic
Success isn’t handed to us - it’s earned through consistent, dedicated effort. When you build your company on purpose, you can enjoy unlimited enthusiasm and overflowing significance. This comes from putting in the work, day after day.
Great Skill
Developing expertise in your field doesn’t happen overnight. It requires continuous learning, adaptation, and growth. Finding and living in your purpose releases energy and inspiration. This energy fuels the development of great skill.
The Impact of Living These Principles
When these three elements combine - a good name, phenomenal work ethic, and great skill - they create a foundation for finishing well. We see this in successful succession stories where businesses continue to:
Make a profit
Bless their communities
Advance their purpose
Create lasting impact across generations
Learning from Those Who Finish Well
Like Scott’s family business, where “each generation of leadership starts making plans with the next, years ahead of the actual transition.” They understand that finishing well isn’t about a single moment - it’s about a lifetime of building these three essential elements.
A Father’s Legacy
What makes Bill’s advice to Sam so powerful is its simplicity and truth. Whether facing learning disabilities or other challenges, these principles apply universally. They remind us that finishing well isn’t about our circumstances - it’s about our choices and actions, at 16 or 61.
The Challenge for All of Us
You will eventually not be present to lead your company. You will leave, either in a moving van or in a hearse. The question isn’t if you’ll finish, but how you’ll finish. Will you leave behind:
A name worth remembering?
A work ethic worth emulating?
Skills worth passing on?
Your Turn to Reflect
Consider these questions:
How are you building your good name today?
What does your work ethic say about your values?
What skills are you developing to ensure lasting impact?
Stop working just for money.
Start working for your purpose.
When we align our name, work ethic, and skills with our purpose, we create the foundation for finishing well.
Harry T. Jones
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