4 Keys To Success
Hello! I have a question for you...
What would you say are the major characteristics of a successful person in life? Do they read a lot? Were they college graduates? Is it because some people are just successful and some aren't?
What I learned through a 12 week mentorship program I participated in from November 2017 to February 2018 has changed everything for me. The picture below was taken at that conference where I met many really amazing people like the young man (Jeff) making funny faces with me in the photo. He's 24, a brilliant marketer, CEO of his own digital media company, and offers an unbelievable course on maximizing social media for businesses!
So, boil down the 12 weeks and let me share with you what I believe to be 4 critical keys to success in any area of life...
It all started in November but just a year earlier I had relocated from South Carolina for a job on a grass-fed beef farm in Gladstone, VA. That job ended in August and the process began to find new work. As I was exploring my options and taking account of the skills I could offer, I began to realize that everything my life had been about up to this point was helping businesses, farms, people, and local communities. Plus, having 25 years of experience in IT from development to leading projects, to technical training. I knew I needed to start my own business but I was dreadfully lacking the confidence that I could succeed. In November, I learned about a mentorship program. I knew I needed to invest in myself and learn some new skills. The program was through Grant Cardone . We had to do training every day in Cardone University, write our goals at least twice per day, meet challenges every week, do a number of videos, and each week we had a live mentor call with Grant where he answered questions, called out those who weren't working the program, recognized those who were seeing successes, and issued a new challenge for the week. It was exhilarating, intense, so motivating, and truly life transforming! The training could basically be classified as Professional Sales Training, but it really was SO much more! There were 1300 of us in the program and we spent many hours each day networking, doing business together, and encouraging each other. It was quite phenomenal. So my business began to take shape and I started to gain knowledge and confidence. There are 4 key things I learned and that I focus on each day. I believe they are critical to success in ANY area of life:
Attitude
Commitment
Belief
Action
Attitude Without having a GREAT attitude results will always be mediocre at best! The world is drowning in negativity. It's all too easy to get caught up in the mentality of excuses and blaming for just about anything you can think of or do. It's a great mental exercise to start identifying this self-talk and re-training your mental voice to think differently. Growth, whether that's in business, life or anything you do, will create new problems. If you start exercising and lose a bunch of weight (good thing), you'll now need to buy new clothes (new problem). If you start re-vamping your business and generate more sales (good thing) you may have problems with delivery or wait times (new problem). Problems are simply opportunities to grow more! If we are going to achieve any measure of success in life or business, we have to be willing to approach these problems as an opportunity to grow. I have to say, my biggest challenge every day is ME!! It is super critical that I get my own THINK on a positive track.
Five things I do daily to get my attitude in the right place:
Exercise
Spend time being thankful - thinking of all the things I'm thankful for
Planning how I'll respond to disappointments that day
Listen to audio books & Podcasts on business (email me and I can recommend some really good ones, I've listed a couple below)
Approach every communication with an agreeable frame of mind
Commitment I'm guilty many times of needing to 'feel like it' to do things especially when it comes to fixing dinner. When I was committed to my family, healthy meal times were
the routine, but now that my children are grown and gone, its an area where I've struggled. Working from home and having very little accountability challenges my consistency, resolve, and discipline daily. But successes in life don't come to those who only act when they 'feel like it'. I remember when I would join a gym. If I started getting it in my head early in the day that I was going to the gym after work, then I was much more inclined to actually go. To make a commitment requires intentional thinking. It requires making the decision to follow through on something BEFORE you get to the point where it's a hard choice and you don't feel like it and there are a 1000 reasons not to follow through. Grant says, if you are lacking creativity to grow your business, check your commitment level. He's right. Where there's a will there's a way. Four things I do daily to stay committed:
Write my goals
Remember my WHY
Planning my schedule
Using OPM (NOT other people's money... but other people's momentum) - get around people who are committed. It's a proven fact that your brain waves will actually adjust to those around you.
Belief
This one is huge, and for me, as a Christian, has many aspects. Believing in myself and the skills and experiences I've had. Believing that I'm called according to His good purpose. Believing that God will work through my weaknesses to bring glory to Himself and provide for the needs of His people. Believing He created me with a purpose to build His kingdom and as I am working, He is working through me to accomplish that very goal. It's also believing that success is not only possible but it's something I can achieve IF I have a great ATTITUDE, am COMMITTED, and take ACTION!
Three things I do daily to strengthen my belief and encourage myself to fight the good fight of faith:
Read my Bible
Listen to sermons
Pray, Praise, and Thank God
Action Dreams don't come true for any of us if we are sitting on the couch, watching TV or playing games and not doing anything about it. To date, I think I've watched a total of 5 hours of TV since August of 2017. I love my work. I love thinking about how I can help people and how I can reach more people. Even if you work and have a family and many other responsibilities, your dreams will always just be dreams unless you start taking actionable steps to make it happen.
Two things I do daily to make sure I'm taking action that's moving me in the direction of my goals:
Set my daily action list the night before
Do it!
It is so worth it!
My second marriage of 10 years was very abusive and it took a lot of heart, drive, and energy out of me, but I believe God has allowed me over the past 5 years to be re-trained and restored. My life is so different now and I wouldn't trade it for anything!
A few Resources For You...
Have you tried this? I love audible! Great way to maximize time while driving, walking the dog, working out, doing laundry, dishes or house work! By clicking the pic on the left you can get 30 days free PLUS 2 free books of your choice to listen to right away. Try it!
Expert Secrets will teach you how to earn money from what you already know. Fantastic book. Limited time offer: The book is free, you just pay shipping. Click on the picture to get more info.
This book will light your fire for sure! Grant doesn't promote a get rich quick scheme but a get rich for sure methodology. Great book if you want to take your business or your life to the next level.
If you get into any of these books, I'd love to know what speaks to you the most!