FAQ

I like my work. Can I keep doing what I’m doing, or are you telling me I must turn my world upside down by doing something completely different?

It depends. In most cases, this is about fixing the business you already own or manage. And if you work for someone else? If there is a ladder to climb, and a future in the service or product your company provides, you should think hard about keeping your job and working yourself up the ladder. Here’s the crux: If what you do has a future, then what I teach will propel you toward freedom and wealth because, through the underlying “machinery” that you will optimize to do the work, the efficiency and quality of your output will be superb, far exceeding your competition’s.

This all sounds too good to be true. Are you offering a magic pill?

Yes, I am. Once you “get” systems methodology, your next moves toward freedom and wealth will obvious to you. You’ll confidently take the proper steps for your circumstance…and your life will never be the same. You will quickly find Work the System methodology to be believable and logical. It’s common sense! As you start to see results — and it won’t take long — you will be convinced of the validity of the principles. (And of course, here’s the obligatory disclaimer: I can’t guarantee anyone’s success…).

Hey, Sam Carpenter: Who do you think you are? Are you qualified?

I lived this, from the bottom up, and then I documented the process of my success in a way that translates easily to anyone who is working too hard but still struggling. I have no use for pretense or silly sophistication. I’ve done everything from riding on the back of garbage trucks and scrubbing toilets (in my 20’s, in three separate jobs!) to managing six businesses simultaneously; from factory line-work to project engineering; from flipping hamburgers to journalism in one of the most dangerous regions in the world. And through all this, the first 50 years of my life were chaotic. I was constantly stressed and never had enough money, no matter how hard I worked.. In the business I purchased in 1984, I worked 80- to 100-hour workweeks for 15 years. My gross personal income never exceeded $60,000 in any one year. To top it off, for all of these 15 years I was the single custodial parent of a son and daughter. It was very tough. But in a midnight moment of insight, the way I viewed the world permanently changed. From this new vantage point I applied a few simple, mechanical principles and moved to working a couple of hours per month…and a terrific income. As part of this transformation, my business, Centratel (www.centratel.com) quickly grew to become the highest quality telephone answering service in the United States. (And yes, after 37 years, I still own and am president of the business, headquartered in Bend, Oregon).

But know this: Other than my gut-level grasp of the system principles presented in my book, I am nothing special and in fact have always had a tendency to be a bit scattered. It’s the new vantage point and system methodology that has transformed my life. It will transform yours, too. It’s simple mechanics!

Is what you teach some kind of mystical secret?

No! I teach what successful leaders everywhere are already doing…although most of them would be hard-put to explain it in words, and some of them don’t even know they’re doing it! Work the System explains the “systems mindset” simply and directly and it lays out the necessary mechanical processes in a way anyone can understand and then apply. When you read the book, you will understand. You will never go back.

My business needs help! What should I do?

I personally don’t provide coaching or consulting. However, my friend and associate Josh Fonger provides these services par excellence (he is the sole global licensee for the Work the System Method). In 2011 I met Josh in a chance encounter, and then employed him to operate my coaching/consulting business. Now he operates his own independent business based on the principles in my book. Note that Josh and I communicate regularly, but I do not personally share in his bottom line. Here is a link to his website WTS Enterprises.

Must I change how I see the world?

Well, yes. But this has nothing to do with religion, politics, or esoteric/mysterious theory. You don’t necessarily have to change where you work or reside, or who you associate or live with…and I certainly don’t encourage you to change your fundamental spiritual/religious beliefs. But once the epiphany strikes, as you understand the profoundly simple logic of it, you’ll willingly adjust how you operate moment-to-moment. The first part of Work the System is designed to help you “get” the insight…and once that happens the rest will come easy.

What about my teenagers? Would it benefit them to read this book?

I raised two children single-handedly and humbly submit that this book is “required reading” for any teen. You know this is true: Today’s kids are bombarded by disorienting input/output, especially nerve-jangling electronic entertainment and inane peer-to-peer communications. These low-benefit preoccupations preclude quiet contemplation such as reading, study, self-improvement, and good conversation – the habits that ultimately lead to personal control, prosperity and great relationships. Work The System induces a life-methodology that assists your teen in finding the strength to fend off useless time-wasters, as it instills a hunger for learning and creative contribution. I believe it’s a parent’s job to accomplish just two things: First, to help the child develop enough internal backbone so he or she can negotiate the world without assistance…and without finger-pointing. Second, to assist that child in developing solid personal integrity which includes respect for themselves and for others. Once we succeed in teaching our kids these attributes, the rest is up to them: Turn them loose and let them go (at age 18, not 35!) Work the System is about personal efficiency, internal strength, thoughtfulness and life-appreciation.

Are there qualifications I must meet? Must I be an expert in my line of work?

No. This is about simple mechanics, not experience, advanced educational degree, high IQ, engaging personality, who one knows, how many books have been read, the capacity for hard work, or any specific expertise or aptitude. Rather, it’s about the raw mechanics of your particular endeavor and the mechanical execution of your existence “one layer deeper.”

Must I do something? Is there work I must perform in order to make more and work less?

Of course! First, there must be the mental adjustment. Then there will be some work in the form of documentation of your business or job, and how you go about things. After that, you will want the people who work for you to “climb on board.” Here’s what happened to me, and I am not exaggerating: For each hour I invested in applying the methodology, thousands of hours in free time have come to me…while my income has increased geometrically. An initial investment in time in the Work the System method provides a phenomenal return over the course of an entire life, and for you, it’s my bet that it will be the best investment you will ever make.

In a nutshell, what do you teach?

You’ve stuck with me this far, and for that effort you deserve the nutshell-summary. First, I will prove to you that your world is logical and already working at 99.9 percent efficiency. Second, I will convince you that your existence is not an unpredictable and amorphous conglomeration of sights, sounds and events, but instead, that your every-day world is composed of separate and logical linear systems, each of which can be easily seen and adjusted to your benefit. You will develop the ability to see these processes on a moment-to-moment basis. Then, one at a time, you will make them perfect. You’ll become a system-improvement specialist, spending your days automating, delegating and sometimes discarding elements of the work you are performing now. And the end-result of these efforts? Your service or product will be the highest quality in your field as you find the peace and prosperity you’ve always wanted. Your personal comportment will include powerful self-confidence and gut-certainties about how the world operates.

That’s it! No silly hocus-pocus; no unsupportable theory. This is simple mechanics!

Sam, are you really saying there is a good chance I can change my life forever?

Yes. That is precisely what I’m saying.

For a tiny fraction of the unsolicited feedback that I’ve received, go here.