Me, myself and I....

Sometimes when I'm writing about the store, I refer to "We" and sometimes I say "I."

The store is both something outside myself, and something that I am in full charge of.

How much am I responsible for the success or failure of the business? Both all of it, and -- well, only some of it.

Yet I find the best policy is to take full responsibility for the failures, but not for the successes. Best not to try to escape the consequences, but also not pat myself on the back when things go well.

This is more mental posturing than reality.

Linda says that sometimes I'm stuck with an arrogant mood. (I always have a vision of a big hand slapping me in the face, making me snarl.)

It is easy to take credit for forces outside your control. It's also way too easy to blame failure for forces outside your control.

So as a general rule of thumb, I try to look for reasons for success in outside forces, and look for reasons for failure in myself. Because, my natural tendency it to do exactly the opposite.

Of course, sometimes it's very clear that a decision I made was a bad one. Sometimes it's very clear that something selling really well is something I had little or nothing to do with. And sometimes, miracle of miracles, I make a big decision that pans out. (Hey, I get those decisions right too often to be completely an accident. SLAP.) So, I try to get that straight.

But in most cases I find it's beneficial to say "we" got it right. And "I" got it wrong.

Still: at the end of the day, "We're" still in business, and even thriving.

And "I'm" proud of that.