Success
begins with confidence. Confidence in everything we say and everything we do;
how we say it and how we do it.
Confidence is healthy as long as it doesn’t grow into arrogance. Confidence supports a proper self-perspective, a positive mindset, and the intention to succeed. We have our greatest success when we combine confidence, perspective, mindset and intention with knowledge, proficiency, and an awareness of our opportunities.
It may sound like a lot to juggle, but the foundation of confidence goes a long way in supporting and providing for these secondary attributes. Which should then fuel our desire for knowledge and ability.
When we match who we are with what we know that’s when we climb to the top of our personal ladder of success.
Following our personal attributes in success is:
Understanding our goals
Matching our purpose to our drives
Knowing the why behind our “want-to” or need
To be successful we combine our personal attributes with a drive for knowledge and understanding. Therefore, we should be lifelong students—always open to educating and re-educating ourselves so we never become complacent. As lifelong students, we never “arrive” but we’re always on our journey.
Be open to coaching from superiors and peers you respect. The worst place you can be externally, is left alone to fail because no one cares enough to reach out anymore.
Lead with your heart when dealing with others—when you lead with your heart, your wallet will follow. The opposite will never be true or satisfy you long term.
If you don’t love what you do, it will show. If you think you’re good at hiding it visually, guess again. It will still come out in your conversation, your tone, your body language and the way you say things. Your lack of enthusiasm for partnering and really connecting with others—including clients, peers and bosses—will come out.
Success comes from Leadership. Leadership that is both personal and professional; voluntary and involuntary.
An example of involuntary leadership is our bosses at work. Those who are in authority over us, or leadership that is foisted on us that we didn’t necessarily want or ask for.
Voluntary leadership is more personal. Voluntary leadership is that which we apply for or want and accept in our life.
In which scenario will you be most successful—when you want it or when it’s placed on you? Why? Think about that before reading on.
It all comes down to personal mindset. We will always be more successful in doing those things we enjoy versus those we don’t. Also, working with those we enjoy versus those we don’t.
Successfully climbing ladders of leadership starts with understanding that true leadership is internal; not just recognizing those in authority over us and accepting authority we’re given. Truly successful leadership begins and grows in our core; in who we are and in what we take on for ourselves. It’s in the goals and dreams we aspire to and hold ourselves accountable to. Successful internal leadership encompasses private behavior, persistentgrowth, and personal accountability.
Private, Persistent, and Personal
Private behavior, Persistent growth, and Personalaccountability
3 very key ideas in our internal hard drives that are leading indicators of how successful we’ll be in climbing our life’s ladders.
In this illustration of leadership ladders, success is not defined as fully ascending each ladder, but being fully successful at the rung you occupy while havingan eye toward the next rung in your personal and professional progression of development. Having not only the willingness, but the capacity (capacity is having the necessary drive and ability) to continue climbing all throughout your life; knowing and having the mindset that you will never arrive, that you’ll never reach the top, is a good thing.
As a life-long student, your intention should be that you’ll always be in the process of climbing toward higher skillsets, higher understanding, and higher presence of mind. It’s through having this mindset that you’ll achieve your greatest life-achievements.
Let’s define further 3 key words:
Private, Persistent, and Personal
Private - How we allow ourselves to behave when no one is looking
Persistent – Adhering to the notion of constant, continual improvement
Personal – Individual to you, to your purposes and dreams; those you share only with yourself or a very select few.
Private. Who we are in private when no one is looking drives our public persona and character. The rules and guidelines you hold yourself accountable to when no one else is listening or looking will be the leading indicator of who you are and how you will interact in public. Therefore, defining and living by your personal inner code of conduct is essential to climbing the ladder of leadership in your life. Who you are in private is based on your personal values. The inner person will always drive the outer persona. The outer persona always will drive success based on the values created and adhered to within.
The duality of personal character and public persona complete a self-sustaining life-cycle that is either constructive or destructive. It will always reveal itself over time.
Persistent. Success has been described as the ability to move from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. There have been numerous examples in history of men and women who refused to give up or accept failure as an option. Mixing persistence with the life ideal of constant, continual improvement in your character and knowledge are essential to climbing as high as your ladder goes.
Personal. The key to the whole notion of climbing as high as your ladder goes is 100% based on your personal definition of self: what motivates you, what you aspire to, and who you want to be to others. It drives your wants, needs, dreams and desires. But it needs to be shaped, attended to and nurtured. It needs refining and it requires external leadership from respected mentors to guide and direct it toward positive outcomes.
As a boy, I had a poor example of what it meant to be a respectable, productive and positive man. When I was in my teens I realized I needed to find men whom I respected and trusted to help lead me into manhood. Thankfully, I found men who were not only excellent examples, but men who were willing to be mentors. I’ve had 10 mentors over my life who played key roles in shaping my productivity and my positivity. They nurtured my dream to be a mentor and an example. I will always be thankful for these men.
The truth is, your ladder of success will reach as high as you are willing to climb. Your hard work, your commitment to personal growth and accountability will add rungs to your ladder. Your willingness to work hard, aggressively seeking knowledge and building of your skill sets will ensure your ladder is strong. Finally, the guidance you seek and the examples you put into action in your life will determine the value of the ladder you’re climbing and its impact on others.
