Everybody wants to get to the top, whether it is the top of a career, a
company, the earnings scale, or the many other ways that we as individuals
can define the “top” in our own lives! But with so many people trying to get
to the top, how come so many people aren’t moving up? I think there are some
fundamental reasons why. Reasons that can be addressed and changed!
What are some things you can do to get to the top? Here are some thoughts
for you this week!
First of all, define what the “top” means for you. This is extremely
important because if you don’t know where you are going, you will never get
there! Some people don’t want to be the CEO of the company. In fact, many
think they are better off then the CEO even though they don’t make as much
money. Instead, they think they are at the top because of less stress,
weekends with their families, etc, and I see their point. It doesn’t matter
what others think is the top, only what you do, since you are only gauging
whether or not YOU get there! So where is it for you? That is the first
question for you to answer.
Be passionate about your goal. Passion is the energy that drives us, or, as
Alexander Pope said, passions are the “gales of life.” Passion is the wind
in the sales of work. Find some thing you love and you will find something
you can get to the top of. If you don’t love it, you may still make it to
the top, though highly unlikely. And even if you do, there will be no joy.
Let your passion carry you, because it will carry you far! Thomas Fuller put
it this way: A man with passion rides a horse that runs away with him.
The will to continue in the face of hardship. Another reason most will not
get to the top is because they simply refuse to scale the mountains of
hardship that separate them from the top. If you want to get to the
beautiful view from the top, you will have to climb over any obstacles.
Instead, many choose to stay at base camp!
One would think that Bjorn Borg, one of the greatest tennis players to ever
live, would consider his skill his greatest asset. Instead, this is what he
says, “My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match.
However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows
that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into
victories.”
Continue until you get to the top!
Love people and treat them right. What? Love people? That’s right! Why?
Because if you are going to get to the top, you are going to need other
people. Be a jerk and you will find people dragging their feet on you. Treat
them right and you will find them helping you and even cheering you on!
Master the appropriate skills. Average skills will get you to the middle.
Top skills will get you to the TOP! This is most assuredly true when
combined with the points above. Are you achieving excellence in the skills
you need? Are you growing day by day, month by month, year by year? You can
always get better and getting better will take you closer to the top! Even
if you only improve a little, you can keep improving that small amount and
it will eventually become a big amount! Demand the best from yourself and
you will get to the top.
Remember the words of Jose Ortega y Gasset: “We
distinguish the excellent man from the common man by saying that the former
is the one who makes great demands on himself, and the latter who makes no
demands on himself.”
Define the Top
Be Passionate
Persevere
Love others
Skill Mastery!
These will take you to the top!
About The Author:
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of
Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn
their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and
achieve their dreams.
To see Chris “live” at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on
the subject of Secrets of Influence go to
or call 800-929-0434.
