Monday, April 16, 2012

The 3 That Work For Me

The 3 That Work For Me

1) A passion for what you do.

I don’t know what it is that you want to do in life. There’s a good chance that you don’t either. It’s okay. But what I don’t want you to do is give up and stop searching for that elusive thing called a passion. Sometimes we get so caught up looking for what it is that we want to do that we exhaust ourselves and get frustrated and then just give up and settle for whatever is convenient. There is another option, start looking at what you don’t want to do. Make a list of what you think it is that you want to do and start crossing things off the list  once you have tried them or done enough research and decided that it‘s not for you. So many times we have some many things in our mind that we think we want to do that we can’t pick just one. I have several dreams and want to try them all. But what inside of you would you do for the rest of your life even if you didn’t get paid for it. I would be a life coach and motivational speaker forever even if I didn’t get paid. Now don’t get me wrong, I have a dream to make it a profession so that  I can do it full-time and reach more people, but if the universe has a different plan for me, I would be willing to change my plans. Don’t be afraid to take a chance on you despite what others might say. If you wouldn’t take a chance on you, why should anyone else?

2) Become a student of what you do.

At every step in my retail career, I have always learned what the person  in the next step of the corporate ladder was doing, how they did it, and why they did it that manner. I have always took pride in how I have been able to take bits and pieces from everyone that I have worked with, supervisors and employees alike, and figure out what works for me. I didn’t just learn book smarts, but I also learned the physical part of what they were doing. I have worked for what I consider both good and bad bosses and  have been able to use those experiences to become the manager that I am today. I have read books, took classes, and networked with others in our industry to learn from the best. The investment that I made in me has paid huge dividends,  professionally, financially, and personally. Take the time to learn your craft, invest in knowledge, invest in yourself, and most importantly, never stop learning. I am now carrying this principle over to my coaching/speaking career. Knowledge is my constant companion and friend. Learning isn’t something that should stop when high school or college is over. With the wealth of knowledge available online and in books, there is no excuse for having a lack of knowledge. The answers are out there, just you have to put the effort in and find them.

3) Apply that knowledge with consistency and persistence.

Don’t wait to apply your knowledge, begin applying it as soon as possible. You will only truly figure out what works for you through trial and error. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. I’m not saying that you need to jump in head first without checking the depth of the water, but testing the water will give you confidence. Those in your inner circle will be some of your best guinea pigs for your knowledge. They can give you some of the best constructive criticism. You have to be willing to step out in faith, with confidence in your ability and knowledge and apply what you know. I don’t know how many times I have been told that an idea won’t work or wouldn’t work with this company. I have had the ability to prove my critics wrong because of the knowledge that I was not afraid to apply with consistent and persistent effort.

A friend of mine, Jim Hernandez, says, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” What if your significant other only put in half an effort, how long would it last? What if when payday rolled around, you only got paid half of what you were told. What if a teacher only told you half of what you needed to know for a final exam? Stop working with half. Do what you are passionate about, make learning a part of the process, and separate yourself from the herd by apply your knowledge consistently and persistently. I believe that if I would have tried to take one of these steps out, I would have failed and not be where I am today.

Dream Big…Pursue Big…Live Big!

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