by Helena Escalante | Goals, Growth, Mindset, Tools
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 11 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: The 2 categories of fear that prevent you from succeeding
— From What If It Does Work Out?: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life by Susie Moore
Susie Moore is a life coach and stress management guru in New York. She is the author of What if it does work out?, a great, friendly book that helps readers put their passions and hobbies to work in order to generate multiple streams of income (above and beyond their 9 to 5 job).
In her book, Moore debunks myths and tears apart fears and hesitations with common-sensical advice and examples that leave the reader at ease and eager to try.
One of the biggest takeaways for me was learning where our fears come from and what they are really about. Once I understood this, I had the clarity to see how they can prevent us from achieving our goals and reaching the success we seek. On the other hand, the good news is that once you identify the origin of the fears, they seem to dissipate instantly, as you can see them for what they truly are: unfounded.
Moore cites Dan Baker, Ph.D. and Cameron Stauth, authors of What Happy People Know. According to their research, if we leave aside all fear that is not the protective kind (e.g., the fear that stops you from hitching a ride with a stranger), all other fears belong to the belief in one of the following two categories:
- I am not enough, or
- I do not have enough.
“As humans,” Moore says, “we have not evolved to take into account our new modern surroundings. Back in the day of the caveman these fears were real and the result of their being actualized was certain death. If you were not fit, healthy, and strong, the tribe would leave you behind in order to survive. And if you did not have enough—meaning if you did not collect food every day and have the materials to give you shelter and warmth—you would perish.”
But we’ve come a long way. Why are we still thinking the same?
Moore explains that while our circumstances have changed, our reptilian brain remains the same and simply has learned to adapt said fears. Thus, “being ‘enough’ in today’s world means being educated, connected, charming, smart, good-looking, thin, interesting . . . the list is endless, especially when you are busy comparing yourself to your peers. Having ‘enough’ in our society means possessing the luxuries that we see touted as equaling success but that can also trap us: a large home, fancy car, great wardrobe. It requires dropping cash we may not even have on stuff we don’t need to try and keep up with our friends.”
“Observe any fear that is strong or subtle in your life and you will be able to attribute it to one of these two [fears].” The author shares a few examples of these two categories of fears and the way they manifest themselves in our lives. See if you can identify with any of them.
Fear of “I am not enough”:
- “I can’t tell that person I like them; he or she won’t possibly be attracted to me!”
- “I can’t ask for more money at work. It’s not like I’m perfect at my job.”
- “Who am I to start a business?”
- “I can’t start a blog— no one wants to hear what I have to say.”
- “I don’t want to go to that party. I’m not good with new people.”
Fear of “I do not have enough”:
- “Money is hard to come by.”
- “John comes from a better family than I do . . . I’m kinda embarrassed to introduce him to my parents.”
- “Better to stick to the career I know than take a risk doing what I really would love to do and go broke.”
- “Tom makes a lot more money than I do and always has nice things. I feel like he’s better than me.”
- “I won’t buy those boots/that laptop/a gym membership—I hate parting with money.”
While not all these examples will instill fear in everyone, think of your own fears and examine what motivates them. “If your soul is stirred with a reason for not doing something that feels right and fair, great. If not—if your decisions leave you feeling insecure, small, and unsatisfied—fear has got you wrapped around its little finger,” says Moore.
She goes on to quote best-selling author James Altucher: “Rejection and the fear of rejection is the biggest impediment we face to choosing ourselves.” Remember to choose yourself today and every day.
ACTION
TODAY: Think of a fear that you are facing today. What category does it belong to? Once you identify it, look back at the fear and you’ll see how it dissolves. You’ll then be able to move forward.
FUTURE: When you are facing a non-protective fear, think back to these two categories and examine what you are feeling. Once you are able to pinpoint the category to which the fear belongs, it will be easy to get rid of it and continue moving forward.
Know someone who is being held back by fear? Please share this post! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Collaboration, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Planning, Time
Links to other parts of the miniseries:
Leadership: Debunking 5 myths
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Position
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Permission & Production
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: People Development and Personhood
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 10 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Leadership: Climbing the steps
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Well, I thought I had finished the miniseries on Leadership from Leadership 101, but I couldn’t resist writing a coda. After debunking the myths and examining the levels of leadership, John C. Maxwell gives some quick, additional insights into the process of climbing the steps of leadership. I thought you might be interested, as they are very short, to the point, and further help solidify the ideas we’ve seen over the past few days.
Here are Maxwell’s thoughts, verbatim:
The higher you go, the longer it takes. “Each time there is a change in your job or you join a new circle of friends, you start on the lowest level and begin to work yourself up the steps.”
The higher you go, the higher the level of commitment. “This increase in commitment is a two-way street. Greater commitment is demanded not only from you, but from the other individuals involved. When either the leader or the follower is unwilling to make the sacrifices a new level demands, influence will begin to decrease.”
The higher you go, the easier it is to lead. “Notice the progression from level two through level four. The focus goes from liking you to liking what you do for the common interest of all concerned (to liking what you do for them personally). Each level climbed by the leader and the follower adds another reason why people want to follow.”
The higher you go, the greater the growth. “Growth can only occur when effective change takes place. Change will become easier as you climb the levels of leadership. As you rise, other people will allow and even assist you in making the needed changes.”
You never leave the base level. “Each level stands upon the previous one and will crumble if the lower level is neglected. For example, if you move from a permission (relationships) level to a production (results) level and stop caring for the people who are following you and helping you produce, they might begin to develop a feeling of being used. As you move up in the levels, the deeper and more solid your leadership will be with a person or group of people.”
If you are leading a group of people, you will not be on the same level with everyone. “Not every person will respond the same way to your leadership.”
For your leadership to remain effective, it is essential that you take the other influencers within the group with you to higher levels. “The collective influence of you and the other leaders will bring the rest along. If this does not happen, divided interest and loyalty will occur within the group.”
You must know what lever you are on at this moment. “Since you will be on different levels with different people, you need to know which people are on which level. If the biggest influencers within the organization are on the highest levels and are supportive of you, then your success in leading others will be attainable. If the best influencers are on the highest levels and not supportive, then problems will soon arise.”
“Real leadership is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow.” – John C. Maxwell
ACTION
TODAY: Take some time to ponder at what level of leadership you are today with the various people with whom you’ll interact. Figure out what you can do so that you both grow (even if it’s just one, tiny, baby step) and your joint project progresses from your collaboration on this day.
FUTURE: Always remember that you never leave the base level. It’s important to nurture and give time to every relationship that you want to see flourish.
Know someone who wants to learn more about leadership? Please share this post and the upcoming ones in this miniseries, thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Collaboration, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Tools
Links to other parts of the miniseries:
Leadership: Debunking 5 myths
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Position
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Permission & Production
Leadership: Climbing the steps
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 46 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: People Development and Personhood
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
So far, we’ve debunked the myths of leadership and looked at the first three levels leadership. The author of Leadership 101, John C. Maxwell, makes a quick recap of the progression of these levels: “At level 2, the follower loves the leader; at level 3, the follower admires the leader; at level 4, the follower is loyal to the leader. Why? You win people’s hearts by helping them grow personally.”
This is getting way better, isn’t it? Let’s unpack this level!
Level 4: People Development—People follow because of what you have done for them. “A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others. Success without a successor is failure. A worker’s main responsibility is developing others to do the work. The true leader can be recognized because somehow his people consistently demonstrate superior performances.”
At this level, Maxwell states that you should be surrounded by people whom you have helped develop in some way. However, a problem arises when new people—who don’t know you—simply view you as a position leader since you’ve had no contact with them. To counteract this, the author offers two suggestions:
- Walk slowly through the crowd. This means having some way of staying in touch with everyone.
- Develop key leaders. Meet and teach the influencers within the organization, and then let them pass on to others what they’ve learned.
This last point is very important: while you may not have time to help and develop everyone, by developing key leaders you will start a cascading effect that will, in turn, create more leaders. This way, your legacy and others’ loyalty to you will be passed on effectively. It’s the equivalent of lighting up many candles with your flame and then letting those candles light up many other ones with their flames. Soon you will have a full crowd lit up from the same source.
“Loyalty to the leader reaches its highest peak when the follower has personally grown through the mentorship of the leader.”
The characteristics to master at this level are:
Level 4: People Development/Reproduction
- Realize that people are your most valuable asset.
- Place a priority on developing people.
- Be a model for others to follow.
- Pour your leadership efforts into the top 20 percent of your people.
- Expose key leaders to growth opportunities.
- Attract other winners/producers to the common goal.
- Surround yourself with an inner core that complements your leadership.
And having reached level 4, is there still more? Yes, there is one more rung to this ladder.
Level 5: Personhood—People follow because of who you are and what you represent. Maxwell states that most of us have not yet arrived at this level. “This step is reserved for leaders who have spent years growing people and organizations. Few make it. Those who do are bigger than life. […] Only a lifetime of proven leadership will allow us to sit at level 5 and reap the rewards that are eternally satisfying.”
So, what are those rewards and characteristics that make a level 5 leader bigger than life?
Level 5: Personhood/Respect
- Your followers are loyal and sacrificial.
- You have spent years mentoring and molding leaders.
- You have become a statesman/consultant, and are sought out by others.
- Your greatest joy comes from watching others grow and develop.
- You transcend the organization.
And there you have it. These are the 5 levels of leadership that we can go through. It’s important to mention that at any given time you will be on different levels with different people, and it’s important to know what levels those are to be able to interact accordingly.
I want to close this miniseries with some food for thought from Maxwell:
“Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone. Not everyone will become a great leader, but everyone can become a better leader. Are you willing to unleash your leadership potential? Will you use your leadership skills to better mankind?
ACTION
TODAY: Think about the various levels of leadership at which you are in life and business. How can you become a better leader? What types of leaders are you surrounded by?
FUTURE: As you decide to start a new project or adventure, keep in mind the levels of leadership that you can attain and the types of leaders you’ll be around. This will play an important part in helping you determine the viability (as well as your willingness) to move forward with it.
Know someone who wants to learn more about leadership? Please share this post and the upcoming ones in this miniseries, thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Tools
Links to other parts of the miniseries:
Leadership: Debunking 5 myths
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Position
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: People Development and Personhood
Leadership: Climbing the steps
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 9 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Permission & Production
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Yesterday we learned about the first level of leadership: position, and today we will continue expanding on this topic. John C. Maxwell, author of Leadership 101, quotes Fred Smith (CEO of Fedex) as saying; “Leadership is getting people to work for you when they are not obligated.” And this is precisely what starts to happen as soon as you jump to level 2 of leadership and continue along the subsequent levels.
Level 2: Permission—People follow because they want to. “A person on the ‘permission’ level will lead by interrelationships. The agenda is not the pecking order but people development. On this level, the leader donates time, energy and focus on the follower’s needs and desires. […] People who are unable to build solid, lasting, relationships will soon discover that they are unable to sustain long, effective leadership.”
“Leadership begins with the heart, not the head. […] You can love people without leading them, but cannot lead people without loving them.”
Maxwell cautions us not to skip this level, as it is the most often skipped one. Taking the time to develop and nurture relationships is important, and it involves a process that “provides the glue and much of the staying power for long-term, consistent production.”
Here are the characteristics to master on this level before advancing to the third one:
Level 2: Permission/Relationship
- Possess a genuine love for people.
- Make those who work with you more successful.
- See through other people’s eyes.
- Love people more than procedures.
- Do “win-win” or don’t do it.
- Include others in your journey.
- Deal wisely with difficult people.
Level 3: Production—People follow because of what you have done for the organization. Maxwell says there is a major difference between levels 2 and 3. “On the ‘relationship’ level people get together just to get together… On the ‘results’ level people come together to accomplish a purpose.” The like to get together for the sake of it, but because they are results-oriented, they love to get together to accomplish things.
And it is at this level indeed where good things start happening: “Profit increases. Morale is high. Turnover is low. Needs are being met. Goals are being realized. Accompanying the growth is the ‘big mo’—momentum. Leading and influencing others is fun. Problems are solved with minimum effort… Everyone is results-oriented. In fact, results are the main reason for the activity.”
Based on this, here are the characteristics to master before moving on to the next level:
Level 3: Production/Results
- Initiate and accept responsibility for growth.
- Develop and follow a statement of purpose.
- Make your job description and energy an integral part of the statement of purpose.
- Develop accountability for results, beginning with yourself.
- Know and do the things that give a high return.
- Communicate the strategy and vision for the organization.
- Become a change-agent and understand timing.
- Make the difficult decisions that will make a difference.
The levels keep getting better and better, don’t they? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment of this miniseries where we’ll learn about levels 4 and 5.
ACTION
TODAY: Think about leaders you know who are at these levels. What can you learn about them? Are you at any of these levels? What actions can you take to proactively master the characteristics you need to advance to the next level?
FUTURE: Have you noticed that each level stands on the previous one? That’s right. Keep this in mind always as you move up: you can’t neglect the base when you move on to higher levels. It’s like doing algebra: you have to draw on a solid, basic knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, even though what you are doing now is much more advanced and complex than at the beginning.
Know someone who wants to learn more about leadership? Please share this post and the upcoming ones in this miniseries, thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Tools
Links to other parts of the miniseries:
Leadership: Debunking 5 myths
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Permission & Production
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: People Development and Personhood
Leadership: Climbing the steps
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 0 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Position
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
In this post, I had mentioned my surprise at learning that each of us influences at least ten thousand other people during our lifetime. (!) “So the question is not whether you will influence someone, but how you will use your influence.”
Continuing with this miniseries on leadership from John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership 101, and inspired by the statement above, I want to expand on what the author calls the levels of leadership. Maxwell says there are five levels—or steps—that we all take along the leadership journey. We can develop our influence and leadership potential by understanding what each step entails. And by allowing ourselves the necessary time to dwell and grow through each level, we can become the leaders we want to be.
So, what are the levels of leadership, you ask? Today we’ll take a look at the first one. Come back tomorrow to learn about the next ones.
Level 1: Position—People follow because they have to. “This is the basic entry level of leadership. The only influence you have is that which comes with a title. People who stay at this level get into territorial rights, protocol, tradition and organizational charts. These things are not negative unless they become the basis for authority and influence, but they are poor substitutes for leadership skills.”
In here Maxwell makes an important distinction: “A real leader knows the difference between being the boss and being a leader.”
| The boss: |
The leader: |
| Drives his workers |
Coaches his workers |
| Depends on authority |
Depends on goodwill |
| Inspires fear |
Inspires enthusiasm |
| Says “I” |
Says “we” |
| Fixes the blame for the breakdown |
Fixes the breakdown |
At this level, unfortunately, security is not based on talent. Instead, it’s based solely on title, which means that this step is often reached by appointment (whereas all subsequent levels are gained by ability). And since “people will not follow a positional leader beyond his stated authority,” this also means that the so-called followers at this stage “will only do what they have to do when they are required to do it. Low morale is always present… [and] when the leader lacks confidence, the followers lack commitment.”
What to do if you are at this level or know someone who is? Develop the following characteristics until you exhibit them with excellence, and you’ll then be ready to move up.
Level 1: Position/Rights
- Know your job description thoroughly.
- Be aware of the history of the organization.
- Relate the organization’s history to the people of the organization (in other words, be a team player).
- Accept responsibility.
- Do your job with consistent excellence.
- Do more than expected.
- Offer creative ideas for change and improvement.
Come back tomorrow to continue reading about the subsequent levels of leadership. You’ll learn the characteristics you need to develop in each step to move up the leadership ladder.
ACTION
TODAY: We’ve all interacted at some point with someone who exerts positional leadership and calls him/herself the boss as per the description above (yikes!). What can you learn from those people so as to not do it yourself? Consider them inverse mentors.
FUTURE: As uncomfortable as it is to be around someone at this level of leadership, be compassionate and remember the saying “every master was once a disaster.” Or if this was you at some point, stop cringing and forgive yourself. We all start somewhere in our leadership journey and build from there. Maybe if you extend a helping hand, offer friendly advice, or give helpful feedback, you’ll be able to assist the positional leader to move along the path toward the next step.
Know someone who wants to learn more about leadership? Please share this post and the upcoming ones in this miniseries, thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Sales, Tools
Links to other parts of the miniseries:
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Position
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: Permission & Production
Leadership: Developing influence one step at a time: People Development and Personhood
Leadership: Climbing the steps
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 10 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Leadership: Debunking 5 myths
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
What is leadership? With lots of definitions and books on leadership, you’d think the answer to this might be an easy one, but it’s not. The essence of leadership and its different manifestations can sometimes be confusing. Why? Because nowadays the label “leader” is tossed around often and sometimes misused to describe position, knowledge or some other attribute as opposed to true leadership.
To that effect, in Leadership 101, John C. Maxwell sets a simple definition that is right on point:
“True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed or assigned. It comes only from influence. [Thus] the true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.”
So, how do we find and measure influence?
In this miniseries, we will first start by debunking the five most common myths or misconceptions that account for the majority of the confusing definitions leadership and, in subsequent posts, we will see how influence can be developed.
1. The Management Myth: “A widespread misunderstanding is that leading and managing are one and the same.” As Rear Admiral Grace Hopper so aptly put it, “you manage things, you lead people.” Maxwell says, “The best way to test whether a person can lead rather than just manage is to ask [him/her] to create positive change. Managers can maintain direction, but they can’t change it. To move people in a new direction, you need influence.”
2. The Entrepreneur Myth: “People assume that all salespeople and entrepreneurs are leaders. But that’s not always the case.” Maxwell cites the example of Ron Popeil, an inventor of gadgets and celebrity in his own right who became a household name by appearing in numerous infomercials. “Popeil is certainly enterprising, innovative and successful… but that doesn’t make him a leader. People may be buying what he has to sell, but they’re not following him. At best, he is able to persuade people for a moment, but he holds no long-term influence with them.”
3. The Knowledge Myth: “Knowledge is power,” is the famous phrase by Sir Francis Bacon, and Maxwell says that, “most people, believing that power is the essence of leadership, naturally assume that those who possess knowledge and intelligence are leaders.” Yet the author points out that this is not automatically true because there are numerous research scientists and philosophers whose knowledge is, “so high that it’s off the charts, but whose ability to lead is so low that it doesn’t even register on the charts. IQ doesn’t necessarily equate to leadership.”
4. The Pioneer Myth: “Another misconception is that anyone who is out in front of the crowd is a leader. But being first isn’t always the same as leading.” Maxwell points out the case of Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the summit of Mount Everest. While being the pioneer comes with much merit, that doesn’t make him a leader. Many climbers have done the same afterward, but they aren’t following him. “To be a leader, a person has to not only be out front, but also have people intentionally coming behind him, following his lead, and acting on his vision.”
5. The Position Myth: “The greatest misunderstanding about leadership is that people think it is based on position, but it’s not,” says Maxwell. In the military, officers can pull rank and in business, bosses get away with people being cooperative because their livelihood is at stake. People respond to their superiors and that is mistaken as leadership. Maxwell quotes Stanley Huffty: “It’s not the position that makes the leader; it’s the leader that makes the position.” Think about some of the known examples of leaders of a team or company who resign or are forced out and the colleagues follow: the leaders may lose the position, but not the influence because, as Harry A. Overstreet said, “The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.”
And the corollary to this last quote is one that Maxwell is famous for saying:
“He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.”
While leaders may have some or all of these attributes within them, they must still have influence for people to follow them and act upon their vision.
Come back tomorrow for the next installment of this miniseries to learn how influence can be developed.
ACTION
TODAY: Think about the leaders that surround you. Think about their influence. Who do you follow because you truly believe in them? Who do you follow because they have rank or authority over you?
FUTURE: Come back to learn how to develop influence. To become a leader, it’s important to develop influence in a way that empowers, elevates and enlightens others, always coming from a point of empathy and much generosity. It takes time, but it’s worth it—think about all the true leaders you admire and their journey to the top!
Know someone who wants to learn more about leadership? Please share this post and the upcoming ones in this miniseries, thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Goals, Growth, Habits, Mindset, Planning, Tools
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 35 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Ask these questions to describe your successful, ideal life
— From No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline: 21 Ways to Achieve Happiness and Success by Brian Tracy
Each one of us has a different definition of success, yet we will all likely agree that no matter what our definition is, the pursuit and attainment of that success will bring us happiness. In his book No Excuses!, business guru Brian Tracy cites Aristotle as saying that the great question each of us must answer is, “How shall we live in order to be happy?”
He goes on to say, “Your ability to ask and answer that question correctly for yourself—and then to follow where your answer leads you—will largely determine whether you achieve your own happiness, and how soon.”
And to get there as soon as possible, we can start by defining what success looks like for each of us. Tracy suggests asking the following questions and answering them as if you could wave a magic wand and make your life perfect in every way.
If your business, work, and career were ideal in every way, what would they look like?
What would you be doing?
What sort of company would you work for?
What position would you have?
How much money would you earn?
What kind of people would you work with?
And, especially, what would you need to do more or less of to create your perfect career?
If your family life were perfect in every way, what would it look like?
Where would you live, and how would you be living?
What kind of a lifestyle would you have?
What sort of things would you want to have and do with the members of your family?
If you had no limitations and you could wave a magic wand, in what ways would you change your family life today?
If your health were perfect, how would you describe it?
How would you feel?
How much would you weigh?
How would your levels of health and fitness be different from what they are today?
Most of all, what steps could you take immediately to begin moving toward your ideal levels of health and energy?
If your financial situation were ideal, how much would you have in the bank?
How much would you be earning each month and each year from your investments?
If you had enough money that you never had to worry about finances again, how much would that be?
What steps could you take, starting today, to create your ideal financial life?
Why aren’t you already as successful as you would like to be, and what one discipline would help you the most to achieve all your goals?
What one skill could you develop that would help you to realize more of your goals?
If you could wave a magic wand and be completely disciplined in one area, which one discipline would have the greatest positive impact on your life?
As you begin to lay out your vision of success, pay attention to the very last question in each category (the things that you should be doing more or less of) and the very last three questions.
Self-discipline is the key to achieve what you want; however, it’s very important to lay out a plan first, so that you can then follow it with your self-discipline. For this, Tracy focuses on the Law of Cause and Effect, or sowing and reaping: “This law says that if you want to achieve success in any area, you must determine how success is achieved in that area and then practice those skills and activities repeatedly until you achieve the same results.”
Success guru Kop Kopmeyer aptly says that you must “learn from the experts [because] you will never live long enough to learn it all for yourself.” Remember that success leaves clues!
ACTION
TODAY: Set aside some time to answer the questions above and figure out what your ideal and successful life looks like. As you answer, a clear path will emerge and you will see what you need to do more or less of to head into the direction of your dreams.
FUTURE: Once you know what success looks like for you and what direction you need to go into, figure out who are the foremost, trusted experts in those fields, so that you can learn from them and follow in your footsteps.
Please share this post with someone who could benefit from answering all these questions to define their success, thanks! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Goals, Growth, Mindset, Tools
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 34 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Tenacity: 3 essential characteristics to keep going
— From Success 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
“Tenacity,” says John C. Maxwell, “is crucial to success.” He mentions that even people lacking talent and failing to have or cultivate other qualities of a team player are able to help the team succeed if they have a tenacious spirit.
But what does being tenacious mean?
According to the author, there are three essential characteristics that constitute tenacity and that help us keep going:
1. Giving all that you have, not more than you have. Some people lack tenacity because they think their project will require a superhuman effort to get done and they don’t believe they have what it takes to make it happen. Maxwell states, “Being tenacious requires that you give 100 percent—not more, but certainly not less. If you give your all, you afford yourself every opportunity possible for success.”
2. Working with determination, not waiting on destiny. “Tenacious people don’t rely on luck, fate, or destiny for their success. And when conditions become difficult, they keep working. They know that trying times are no time to quit trying. And that’s what makes the difference. For the thousands of people who give up, there is always someone like Thomas Edison, who remarked, ‘I start where the last man left off.’ ”
3. Quitting when the job is done, not when you’re tired. Maxwell cites the American actor Robert Strauss, who stated that “success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired—you quit when the gorilla is tired.” The author says that it’s not the first, but the last step that makes the difference, as that is where the race is won. “If you want your team to succeed, you have to keep pushing beyond what you think you can do and find out what you’re really capable of.”
So, how tenacious are you?
As food for thought, I’ll leave you with this quote from Napoleon Hill:
“Every successful person finds that great success lies just beyond the point when they’re convinced their idea is not going to work.”
ACTION
TODAY: Take a moment to think of an area in your life where you could succeed with more tenacity. What is that area? Which of the three above characteristics have you not applied there? Say, have you not given it your all and quit because you got tired, before the job was done? Simply take away a lesson from that and start again. Armed with that lesson and the determination to get it done, you will find the tenacity to get to that last step you need to win the race and achieve your goal.
FUTURE: When you’re stuck or about to quit, think about these three characteristics of tenacity. Why did you decide to start in the first place? Go back to that mental place and you’ll find the motivation and determination to continue giving it your all and not quit until the job is done.
Know someone who needs a bit of inspiration and tenacity right now? Please share this post via email, Facebook or Twitter, thanks!
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Creativity, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Tools
Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 53 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Model the best, remember the worst
— From LEAD RIGHT by Steve Ventura
There’s no question that we’ve all been exposed to many leadership lessons. These learnings come to us courtesy of the many leaders, both in business and in life, with whom we’ve interacted—or whom we have read about, watched on TV, or seen or heard from in other ways.
Steve Ventura, author of Lead Right, has a short, yet powerful idea to share with us today. He says:
“Think back on all the various people you’ve worked for. Some you’ll remember fondly—some not so fondly. Undoubtedly, some were ‘saints’… or at least they exhibited almost saintly behaviors. These were top notch leaders who showed you by their example, what you should be doing now. Emulate them; follow their lead. When in doubt, ask yourself ‘What would he do… how would she handle this situation?’ Then, DO IT!
Maybe your inventory of past bosses also includes one or two jerks… and you’d probably just as soon forget them. DON’T! You need to remember them clearly and frequently. They provide your best lessons on what NOT to do! By avoiding the kinds of behaviors they exhibited, you’ll make sure that, down the road, you never appear on any of your team members’ list of worst leaders.”
There you have it. As uncomfortable as it is to watch or to interact with people who are bad leaders, the lessons derived can be very valuable (albeit painful at times). Poor leaders are inverse mentors: they teach you how not to lead. Pay attention so that you remember to never do what they do.
Instead, emulate those leaders whose behavior consistently yields good results. Those are real role models and mentors.
“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after.” – Oliver Goldsmith
ACTION
TODAY: Recall an experience that you witnessed, whether at work or in your personal life, that was the result of poor leadership. What can you learn from it? What lessons can you derive so that you don’t make the same mistakes?
FUTURE: When faced with a difficult leadership decision or challenge, recall those leaders whose example you value and admire, and ask yourself how you think they would handle your situation. Then act accordingly.
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by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Opportunity, Planning, Tools
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 0 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: 3 Questions you must ask yourself to succeed in business
— From The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success by Brian Tracy.
In The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success, business guru Brian Tracy shares the Law of Critical Success Factors: “Every business has a number of key success factors that measure and determine its success or failure.”
Just as our bodies have indicators of vital functions that determine our health (heart rate, blood pressure, etc.), “companies have critical success factors, as well, which measure the health and vitality of an enterprise.”
Tracy says that many critical success factors are common to all businesses: “leadership, product quality, service, sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and finance and accounting.” Excellent performance in each of these areas will bring about excellent results, whereas poor performance—or nonperformance—will seriously jeopardize the survival of the business.
Above and beyond these common critical success factors, some companies have their own factors that are specific to them. They are unique and they are what separates a particular company from the rest.
This last point brings about the first corollary of this law: “Each individual has personal critical success factors, the performance of which determines his or her business future.”
Tracy goes on to explain, “You have a set of key skills or core competencies that you use, like tools, to do your job. A weakness or failure in any of your key skills can undermine your overall effectiveness and weaken your ability to do your job effectively. To perform at your best, you must first identify the critical success factors of your work, measure your strengths in each one, and then develop a plan to become excellent in the areas that can help you the most.”
There are two questions that you must ask yourself in order to determine your personal critical success factors:
Why am I on the payroll? “What exactly have you been hired to accomplish? Why does the company pay you the money it does? Both you and your boss should be in complete agreement on this question. Whatever your answer is to this question, that is what you should be working on most of the time.” (Note: if it’s your own business, substitute the above with questions as if you were hiring someone to work in your position. It’s an eye-opening exercise, what exactly would this person work on most of the time?)
What can I, and only I, do that if done well will make a real difference to my company? “This is a task or responsibility that only you can do. If you don’t do it, it won’t get done. But if you do it and do it well, it can make a tremendous difference both to your company and to yourself.”
And these two questions bring about the second corollary to this law: “Your weakest critical success factor determines the height at which you can use other skills.”
What exactly does this mean?
“Your personal strengths and core competencies are what have brought you to where you are today. They are the foundations of your position and the determinants of your income. At the same time, your weaknesses form the ceiling on your ability to rise to even greater heights.”
To move ahead more rapidly, Tracy says, you must ask yourself—and be honest—about your weaknesses:
What are your weaknesses? “What one skill, if you developed and did it in an excellent fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on your career? Whatever the answer to this question, this is where you should begin to work on yourself. This is where you can get the biggest payoff in terms of increased competence.”
By asking these three questions, you will be able to determine where you currently stand and what you need to do to move forward to achieve your greatest business success.
ACTION
TODAY: Assess yourself. Tracy asks, “What are your personal critical success factors, and what is your plan to become absolutely excellent in the one area that can help you the most at this time?” Create a plan to start working on yourself in this area.
FUTURE: A great individual assessment and a book that can help you figure out your strengths is called Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath. Highly recommended. It will help you figure out your top 5 strengths so that you can build upon them. I’m happy to report that my biggest strength is learner (not that you hadn’t noticed…). A good outlet for expression for a learner is to share what he or she has learned, as a teacher, and this is another reason why this blog came to life, to be able to share what I learn. Check out the book and/or test and let me know in the comments here what your top strength is!
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