I snapped this photo this morning in Rutherford County. It’s the first time I’ve seen a small trash hauler comply with state laws requiring them to tarp their load.

This is a positive direction that deserves attention.

What also deserves attention is the power you have to make your community better.

I want to see more of this, and as I see it I’ll share it, but my telephoned warning to this company will stand forever. I don’t hand out warnings I don’t intend to make certain have meaning.

A challenge: Are you ready to start being a force of change? Here are eight steps off the top of my head to kicking ass (I may refine these in the future):

1. Identify your target: What is one thing in your community that everyone knows is wrong and can be easily fixed? Forget your paralyzing list of everything else that bothers you, and focus on this one problem.
2. Make your demand: Call and then follow up with a written letter to those responsible for fixing the problem, and tell them you would like to hear back on what action they will take to remedy the situation (very important). Be precise. Document times, dates, and locations. If you can provide photos or video of the problem, then you are clearly ready to kick some ass.
3. Show your teeth: CC your council members on your correspondents, and make sure they see your evidence. Show your target you intend to involve others if need be. Blog about the problem.
4. Focus: Don’t allow distractions to stop you, like some of the following:
   • friends or family
   • friends encouraging you to care more about bigger and sometimes unachievable issues
   • elected officials with seemingly reasonable explanations why the law doesn’t matter in this particular case (the biggest excuse is often a lack of resources - pretend you never heard this excuse and make sure your expectation of action is clear in your reply)
   • your target asking why you don’t care more about their competition (you need to focus on one target and forget others - make an example out of the biggest offender of the law - predators who chase a herd never eat - stay focused on their lunch and then eat it - promise as much in nicer terms if need be)
   • time (allow time to pass, and don’t get caught up with the idea that you have to get it done now)
5. Don’t wait around for a posse: Don’t ask anyone for permission or what they think about you kicking ass about something (you don’t need the blessing of anyone or any entity, and it’s often best your actions speak after fair warning - your posse is the law)
6. Issue your warning: Warn your target on the second chance you give them that this isn’t baseball.
7. Fire the first shot: When you see them do it again, share all your documentation with law enforcement and the media. Follow up, especially with law enforcement. Media will follow the police reports, citations and any court action if it’s an interesting story.
8. Don’t flash weapons you don’t intend to use: Always follow through on your warnings.

I may have left a few things out, but that’s generally how I’ve brought every one of my warnings to conclusion, and I never rest until then.

If you do this, something else will happen. You will slowly start to focus your efforts on things that matter and things that you can accomplish instead of finding yourself paralyzed by 100 other things that get little of your time and are never accomplished.

A couple of words of advice:

1. Don’t allow your emotions to cause you to break the law (trespassing, harassing, stalking, libel, slander, assault, etc.). You’re way better than that.
2. You have every right to complain about something, but complaints are just words without action. Don’t be the whiner. Be the winner. Complain, but follow it up with the actions you took to kick their ass.