Certainly, it is not a simple feat to achieve every fleeting aspiration that materializes in our minds lest we would all be challenge- and worry-free. Yet we all dream of a better version of ourselves: one who accomplishes great things, leaves an enduring legacy and makes the world a better place. Someone who excels at work and home and is revered and can be counted on.
With all of that ambition, how does anyone fall flat? Well, do sports teams take the field without practice, coaching and the huddle? Do politicians mount a campaign sans extensive research and a well-developed platform (hmm… well, it seems some may…)?
There are keys to ensuring success over the long term which can be employed in your every task.
1. The attitude and determination that will carry you through any obstacles. Your attitude will be what forces your hand in moving forward where others quit. Your attitude will be what overshadows the fear and doubt that cloud your mind and judgment. Your determination is what ensures you stay the course despite any hiccups that pop up along the way.
2. Clearly defined goal(s) with a realistic approach. Presumably, you are attempting to tackle something that either can be or has been done. (If not, ideally you have the research to suggest it can be done.) If you are moving, but you don’t know where you are moving toward, there is chaos. Sure, you may not be able to calculate the exact trajectory of your path and you may far exceed your goals; on the flip side, you also do not want to set the bar too low and stymie your strengths. Lay out the goals with a strong why behind them and plot out your path to get there.
3. Preparation: Do you have the tools necessary to reach the goals? If you are embarking on a new diet or workout routine, do you have the needed equipment and knowledge and recipes and regimen to succeed? You can have all the drive in the world but if you go into battle without the weapons you need – it’s over before it begins.
4. Patience: Very few noteworthy goals can occur overnight. When we make our initial charge, however, we want to see immediate results as reinforcement of our decision. We will rarely get it, however, which is why the virtue of patience is paramount.
5. Be adaptable and open to change and tweaks to your process. We obviously identified the need for a change or a course of action up front, but as we embark and learn the terrain and identify that modifications to process are required, we must be nimble and adjust accordingly.
6. Perseverance! Just when you think everything is going along swimmingly, you’ll be caught off guard with a bump in the road and how you react and respond will have a huge impact on the road ahead. Without process, it’s just madness; address, adjust as needed, but get back to the process as quickly as you can.
7. Build relationships that are symbiotic, mutually beneficial. Find ways to make contributions to the journeys of others and they will make investments in yours that will exceed your own expectations. While being an individual contributor may be much of your role or current status, having a positive impact in the lives of others will always pay off more often than not. You can learn so much from the paths of others – do so!
8. Make the conscious decision every day and at every leg in the race to continue. The decision to execute and carry on rests solely and squarely on your shoulders. You decide if you get out of bed early every day to make time to work out. You decide if you eat right and take care of yourself. You decide if you allot enough time to properly prepare for work and get there with time to spare so you are ready to start the day. You decide whose company you keep, what you do with your talents and what you do when you hit roadblocks. Control every detail that you can control and control your response when you encounter an uncontrollable force. Continued execution can become easier to deliver due to the innate gratification from prior excellence. We want to win because we won before and we liked how it felt.
9. The ability to take most things as they come, as they need to be dealt with and to fit things into your process or bend rather than break. It means sometimes shutting your mind off to the doubt and continuing on. It means always returning to your process after addressing bumps in the road. Don’t let doubts during downward times derail or deter you from a plan concocted by a clearer head.
10. A continued quest for growth. Learn from all of the mistakes and lessons, but let go of the pain they brought when you convert it into fuel for your determination. You cannot close yourself off to new people or experiences just because your trust was broken or you faced setbacks. Doing so will leave you stunted, incomplete and certainly incapable of achieving your potential.
Whether you are lining up New Years’ resolutions or simply have a project to do, apply these principles and you’ll be unstoppable.
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Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be. If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G
Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership. You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving. You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”
Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail atcvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page:https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/
The Life and Times of Carson V. Heady 