first year

It won't "fly by" and you don't want it to. It's an important year for you. It's your foundational year for continued success. Take it seriously. This is when you are most at risk of making career-altering mistakes. Take it slow and double-check yourself when you have doubts.

The first year of most jobs will usually be the hardest because you are still learning, making mistakes, and if you care you want to do well. So it will be stressful. But, if you think like I do, it will also be awesome.

Out of the few dozen new guys I have worked with, only a few had the mindset of always trying to do something better the next time. And they weren't quick to blame other people for mistakes. They only talked about what they did. Which is correct, since they are the only constant in every situation they will have. They would say things like "I made that turn better than I did last time." That's awesome! That means they are remembering and trying to do better and they are thinking with self awareness.

You might be surprised how rare self-awareness is.

As far as I know, those few are still driving years later.

 

Not a day goes by I don't find myself cussing at nobody for never answering the radio... even though I know they never do, I'll still warn oncoming drivers of hazards, ect... and seldom get a response.... until ya come upon a backup... then all the sudden everybody's got one!

 

Well said... ya gotta be ok with spending a hell of a lot of time with. ... YOU!!

 

Seriously! I didn't read all of the replies, but @Allow Me. is right.

I call it "the turn." Those thoughts that wash through your brain, over and over again... as you roll down the road for hours and hours, day in and day out... thinking and re-thinking... like clothes turning in a dryer, turning over and over, reinforcing itself with each turn.

Godfried Leibniz was the first to differentiate between optimistic and pessimistic thought. The chief difference between optimism and pessimism seems to do with the passing of time. The pessimist will think in terms of permanence. While the optimist isolates bad events as temporary. So if you are turning with thoughts as "always", "never", and "of course", it's a pessimistic thought. It leads to despair and helplessness.. and eventually depression.

Fun fact: in ancient Sumeria, we didn't differentiate between love and war... which is certainly something good vs something bad. They seemed to be interchangable if you read ancient sumerian poetry or history. The Goddess of Love was also the Goddess of War. We were... very confused back then. LOL

 

Ya know what they say. All's fair in love and War!... ain't a hell of a lot different than a lot of relationships and views in the world today if'n ya think about it!... maybe they weren't so confused back then after all... maybe they knew what we'd become!...... things that make ya go... hummm....

 

Good point!

Well done sir

 

You know, you'd think that, but honestly, it wasn't until the 70s when P/S, tubeless tires, more hp. and interstates changed the job some, but before that, it was not glamorous at all. Fact is, It was a job not many could handle. My 1st T/T boss began his company in the early 50s, and stories he told didn't sound like fun. The 70s, I'd say, were the last great times for trucking, 80s, a time of change, and 90s and beyond, ironically when electronics started, just plain sucked, and why I got out. I couldn't imagine driving a truck today, unless outlaws make a comeback,,,what's that? They won't? Well, forget it then,,

 

Back in the day Dart was a good company, I believe there were 100% owner operator. Now they are commonly referred to as the Dart disadvantage....

 

I agree. Back in the day UPS tractor trailers were always drove slow in the right lane, now they low by me.