Nine Beliefs of Remarkably Successful People
Apr 25, 2022
Jeff Haden, contributing editor at Inc., makes some very interesting points in his post on the Inc. site.
I am not sure that I consider myself “remarkably” successful but I have had and continue to have a very rewarding (on several levels) career and his list resonated with me.
Time doesn't fill me. I fill time. I wish that I could get better at this but the time available to do something should not define how long it takes. Sometimes good enough is good enough. I am often reminded of the acronym ROTI – Return on Time Invested. Not everything warrants large amounts of time and the best job possible.
The people around me are the people I chose. I always follow this one – you truly are known by the company you keep – a key factor in two career moves for me, and ones that paid off very well, emotionally and professionally.
I have never paid my dues. I am not even sure what this means but we sure do dredge it up when people “leap-frog” over us to jobs we did not apply for and were not even interested in… somehow our trajectory is the factor. The other week someone mentioned that a candidate hadn’t held a particular position, traditional to advancement, even though the position was being eliminated due to changes over time.
Experience is irrelevant. Accomplishments are everything. Wow, so true. This will be the watchword as job descriptions begin to strip out minimum years of experience for specific positions. (Why five years? Why not seven? Or three? Where’s the evidence?)
Failure is something I accomplish; it doesn't just happen to me. Own your failures. They didn’t happen because of some outside force. Learn from them. Be human. Don’t point fingers(when you point a finger at someone else there are three pointing back at you!). FAIL = First Attempt in Learning.
Volunteers always win. Why is this so hard to learn? Stop complaining. Step up! Take on the interesting challenge! Expand, grow, learn! It is actually rewarding on so many levels.
As long as I'm paid well, it's all good. Do your best. All ethical work is of value. If you are not happy, move on, don’t make everyone around you miserable. Actually, you don’t even have to be well paid if the job is engaging and worthwhile. There are different types of rewards (as many in the not-for-profit world are well aware!).
People who pay me always have the right to tell me what to do. If only… are you listening? Express your important personal priorities on your own dime. You are not self-employed. Boards are employers. Board members need to speak up so each voice is heard.
The extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland. Arrive early. Stay late. Do something extra for someone else. Align your goals with the agency’s mission and with those of your “boss”.
Gosh. Not rocket science. But they do work.
Some will never get it.
Some just need a simple attitude adjustment.
Some need leaders to create environments for remarkable success.
And some just keep on moving, making their contribution and shining through. Thank you!
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