“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
- Abraham Lincoln

A good friend of mine in college used to bus tables in a restaurant. He told me the secret to being a successful bus boy.

Never stop moving and always have something in your hands.

The first part of his secret just made sense to me. Never just stand around – especially in a restaurant – unless you want to get run over. Always be moving, always be going somewhere to do something.

The other half of his secret needed a little more of an explanation. He said it didn’t matter if you were carrying an empty dish tub, or a full one. Just never be caught with nothing in your hands.

You see, my friend learned this by observing the best bus boys at the restaurant where he worked. He applied their methods and hustled every day. He routinely received tips from the customers of the restaurant. Sometimes, he earned more in tips than the waiters and waitresses. The owner scheduled him to work for as many hours as he could handle while going to high school. He was invited to return to work during breaks from college.

For what its worth, I bet Abe Lincoln would have made a great bus boy!