I recently finished reading “Driven”, an autobiography by Larry Miller.
It’s a powerful story of a man who climbed through the ashes, worked inhumanely hard (100-hour workweeks for years), and rose to become an extremely rich man.
The problem?
It all came at the expense of his health and family.
He worked years on end, that eventually his health succumbed to its’ effects.
He would end up dying from health complications as a result.
What it’s all about
Driven is the autobiography of Larry Miller, a Car Parts Manager turned Entrepreneur whose net worth would eventually hit more than $500MM by the time of his passing.
Despite his incredible entrepreneurial success driven by a work ethic that’s unheard of, he was also a very generous and giving person.
What struck me about Miller as we talked over the course of many months is that his entrepreneurial career wasn’t fueled as much by money as it was by a sense of duty and community. He saw himself as a bridge builder—another appellation he embraced—someone who could organize efforts between people and organizations to make things happen.
But you might be wondering.
Why was he like this?
A large part was due to his upbringing (was kicked out at a young age and couldn’t understand why), and his anxious need to care for his family.
Here I was, soon to be 27 years old, married, with two children and one on the way, and I was responsible for raising and supporting those children, providing food and shelter and college and housing and much more, while preparing for old age and retirement, and I realized I had nothing to fall back on.
It was at this critical moment he decided he had to be great at something in order to achieve financial security, not only for himself but for his family.
I decided I had to be extremely good at something, and the thing I was best at was being a Toyota parts manager. That night I worked until 10:00. It was the start of my 90-hour-a-week work schedule.
All in all, that work ethic and drive would lead him to purchase the Jazz basketball team, open multiple car dealerships, and have legacy wealth.
The key message
Achieving incredible (financial) success requires an unimaginable work ethic.
But it could come at a cost — your health and your family.
Be wary of the lessons from Larry Miller and decide when enough is enough.
Why I loved it
The book is written very clearly and concisely.
It also contains Gail’s — Larry’s wife — post thoughts, which are insightful and you get to understand her position through it all.
Most of all, it was relatable.
It’s a great reminder success has a cost and can burden those we love around us.
Why you should read it
This book is long.
But thankfully, each chapter is very short — about 5-10 minutes long.
Each chapter is packed with key insights and stories that you can take away for yourself.
Most importantly, it’s a great reminder of focusing on what matters to us — family, health, etc.
Memorable quotes
What struck me about Miller as we talked over the course of many months is that his entrepreneurial career wasn’t fueled as much by money as it was by a sense of duty and community. He saw himself as a bridge builder—another appellation he embraced—someone who could organize efforts between people and organizations to make things happen.
Did you know that he worked six days a week, dawn to bedtime, for 20 years and missed his children’s youth, and that it was his greatest regret?
His body finally organized a boycott to slow his pace. A heart attack was followed by kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other problems associated with diabetes.
Larry listened intensely and sympathetically, trying to understand and get to know the person.
People ask me if I set out with a plan. No way. The chain of events that began my entrepreneurial career was sparked by three failures: I dropped out of college, got laid off, and got demoted.
She did everything quietly, with no complaint. I couldn’t have done what I did if she had been nagging me and not minding the home front.
I didn’t really learn much the first couple of times I was mistreated by employers, but the third and fourth time it happened, it really sank in. I remember thinking that if I ever got my shot at being a general manager or owner, I would treat my employees better than that, because I know how it feels to work hard and do a good job and then have my employer fail to live up to promises, even though I had helped make him profitable.
Initially, it was fear that drove me to work those 90 hours a week for 20 years—this overwhelming feeling of being responsible for the needs of my wife and children and not having a college degree to fall back on.
When we returned to Utah, I had saved $88,000—which I used to buy my first car dealership. By saving that money, I was able to start my own business, and everything in my professional and entrepreneurial career began with that purchase.
He was afraid if he changed into a person who wanted worldly things he’d lose sight of the reason he had money, which was to help people.
“We all stood around him and said our good-byes,” says Gail. “He took a deep breath and sighed and then he was gone. A tear fell from his left eye.”
Gail picked out a plot that she could see from her bedroom, and every day she looks out to gaze down at Larry’s gravesite. There you are and here I am, she finds herself thinking; after all these years together, we’re still close.
Now, it’s Larry who is waiting for Gail to come home.
