Here are the twelve
steps to personal success in business:
1. What do we call
success? Should we let our company define this - nope! Define it our
self! When I was in sales, I always took whatever quota my company gave me
and either doubled it or tripled it. I did this because I understood
psychology enough to know that we tend to come just a little short of our goals,
on average. Thus, I was usually assured of overachieving quota by making
sure that even if I fell a little short of my goals I over-achieved my company's
goals. This was always more than enough to send me to summit club (100% +
achievement) year after year.
2. Own our
career. Do we work as if our career owns us, or do we own it? There
is one sure way to tell: when we go on an interview, who is interviewing
who? I always felt that if I wasn't asking plenty of questions, I was
letting my career own me.
3. Believe in the
power of I can, I will! My friend Julia has that saying on a plaque on her
wall. I don't know where she bought it from, all I know is she's the Top
Gun at her company each year and a phenomenal salesperson.
4. Be financially
smart. Do we spend money and use expenses as if our job were our own
private business? Most managers appreciate people who are wise with
expenses - yet also who know how to spend money to attract money.
"Don't be too frugal, yet don't be wasteful" is the rule I live
by. Then, when we do own our own business, we're already in the habit of
spending wisely.
5. Plan our
work. If we don't have a plan, we plan to fail.
6. Work our
plan. What's the use of having a plan if we don't follow it?
7. Take a
chance. What are we holding back? If we have a good idea, we ought
to either suggest it, implement it, or delegate it and make it happen. The
best ideas are those which get acted upon. The worst ideas are those
forgotten about while the competition is making them a reality. I have a
viewpoint that anytime I have an idea that at least five other people in the
world have thought this same idea at the same time. The key to success is
the person who acts upon their ideas.
8. Act now.
The best time to aspire is... NOW!
9. What can we
change? People who stay completely the same are a little boring. So
is a business. Businesses are comprised of people, so we must change a bit
to keep things interesting. What business process can we change? Do
we need a face-life or makeover? What attitude needs a refresher?
Might as well go for it and see what happens. There is one constant in
life: that it will change tomorrow.
10. Have we failed
at something? Instead of calling it a failure, call it a learning
experience. Learn from it. Now, next time, we will succeed as we are
wiser.
11. Have
fun! Fun people are more creative. People who aren't having fun are
boring. They are sometimes good for getting a lot of work done, but they
aren't that great at coming up with new ideas. I like hanging around fun
people - how about you?
12. Help someone
else succeed. Have you ever noticed that when you ask for help from
someone who has succeeded in your field, that they usually will offer free
advice? Sometimes, they'll go the extra mile for you to help out. On
occasion, I like to do something unexpected and help out a rookie with some free
wisdom. If they ask, I offer. They always walk away smiling.
So, let us assist those who haven't yet gained our wisdom. Then watch what
they do with it and smile. Someone else has done it for us, and what goes
around comes around (see The
Abundance Rule of 3's).
Remember that no matter
what rules we have been given, it is wise to break one every now and
then. People who have fun, use their resources, and have an attitude
of "No
Doubt" are the true winners in life. Are we among them?
Scott
Andrews is CEO and Founder of AspireNow (www.AspireNow.com),
a leading business productivity and personal development firm based in
California. AspireNow helps organizations launch new products and
services, maximize sales, and innovatively change businesses through
cutting-edge and empowering business models and processes. For more
information, contact Scott@AspireNow.com,
or visit http://www.AspireNow.com.
