| I want to focus our thoughts on each of these four | | | | a perfect question to ask. If you can answer this, you |
| elements of success. While these were originally | | | | will have enough opportunity to last for the rest of your |
| written for a business audience, the principles can be | | | | life! Can you, with your strengths, meet any of the |
| easily translated to cover yourself or any group or | | | | needs of the population you are trying to reach or |
| organization you belong to.Knowledge.Before one | | | | serve? Their needs are your opportunities!What is |
| begins down the road of success, they need | | | | currently working? This is the "ride the wave" point. |
| knowledge. Today, even jobs that once required little | | | | Take advantage of momentum. Don't settle for the |
| working knowledge or intelligence now see the need | | | | good that you are experiencing. Ask if you can stretch |
| for training as those jobs become more dependant on | | | | further. Don't look at what ought to be successful, but |
| technology. We will cover the importance of | | | | go further with what is successful!Risk"A naval aviator |
| knowledge and ways to get more for yourself and the | | | | told me that many pilots have died because they |
| others in your business or organization.Opportunity.One | | | | stayed with disabled aircraft. They preferred the |
| element that you see over and over again in our | | | | familiarity of the cockpit to the unfamiliarity of the |
| country is that we are indeed the "land of opportunity." | | | | parachute, even though the cockpit was a deathtrap. |
| It is great to be able to live in a country where people | | | | Many people have seen their careers crash because |
| can pursue their dreams, and where it is possible to | | | | they preferred the familiar but deadly old ways to the |
| reach them. But some people have a hard time seeing | | | | risky but rewarding new ways." So says Nido Qubein |
| opportunity. We will focus on ways to find and take | | | | in Stairway to Success.It is true that many people who |
| advantage of opportunities.Risk.Once a person sees | | | | have knowledge and the opportunity to see success, |
| opportunity, it is up to them to step through the open | | | | never do, simply because they are unwilling to take |
| door and go for it. Yet many stop at the edge, unwilling | | | | risks. As young people we are usually long on |
| to take a risk. Many times, often actually, taking | | | | risk-taking but short on knowledge and opportunity. |
| advantage of opportunities requires risk. We will cover | | | | This is probably why you don't see many successful |
| the importance of taking risks and to understand the | | | | teens driving their own BMW's.But by the time we are |
| difference between taking risks and being | | | | able to do something with our knowledge and |
| "risky."Excellence.Businesses, organizations, and people | | | | opportunity, most of us are in relatively comfortable |
| who succeed are the ones who operate from a base | | | | situations and decide that to pursue our dreams would |
| of excellence. Think of Nordstrom's as a perfect | | | | be to simply risk too much. So we put off what lies in |
| example. We'll cover the importance of excellence and | | | | our hearts. |
| ways to raise your excellence quotient.KnowledgeThe | | | | Yet most successful people achieve what they do |
| starting point in the elements of success is Knowledge. | | | | because somewhere along the line they stepped out in |
| This is becoming increasingly so as we continue | | | | faith and took a risk. Yes, many fail at this point, but at |
| deeper into the information and technology age. There | | | | least they attempted greatness. And while many fail, |
| simply is no turning back now. Even jobs that used to | | | | many succeed tremendously and receive the reward, |
| take very little knowledge require some because of | | | | often helping many others as well.Here are some |
| automation etc. So here are some thoughts on ways | | | | thoughts to help you take risks and see great |
| to increase your knowledge and become more | | | | achievement in your life.Count the cost of not risking. |
| successful.Become a self-learner. I have met very few | | | | Most of us think of what we might lose if we risk, but |
| successful people who were not also self-learners. | | | | what will we lose if we don't risk? |
| They love learning. Are you a reader? Reading is one | | | | Realistically understand the worst case scenario. It |
| of the most enjoyable ways to learn more. Or you | | | | usually isn't nearly as bad as we might assume, making |
| can join what Zig Ziglar calls "Automobile University." All | | | | it all the more worthwhile to risk. Most risks don't end |
| you do is go to the local library and check out some | | | | up at the worst.Calculate your risk. Since the risk isn't |
| tapes on a topic of your choice and start going to | | | | as much as we usually think it is, it helps to lie out the |
| school on your way to work. As you grow personally | | | | strategy beforehand. Then you know what you're up |
| you will begin to rise above others who simply are not | | | | against and have a plan of action. |
| in the process of learning.Job-specific training. I think | | | | Prepare fully. What most often keeps us from risk is |
| everybody, regardless of his or her level in the | | | | fear. One of the best ways to fight fear is to be fully |
| organization, should be continually trained in their job. | | | | prepared. This helps our minds to be rooted in fact |
| Someone once said that it is more expensive to not | | | | rather than swayed by emotion. |
| train employees and let them stay on the job than to | | | | Follow your dreams. They did a study and asked |
| train them. How true. What kind of ongoing job-training | | | | elderly people what their biggest regrets were. One of |
| are you taking. If you aren't the boss, then go to your | | | | the top ones? That they didn't take more risks to |
| boss and ask him what kind of training he or she | | | | follow their dreams. Go for it now!Richard Bach says |
| would like you to have and then tell them that you | | | | this in A Gift of Wings: "Remember the high board at |
| would be glad to go get it. If you are the boss, then | | | | the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it, you |
| what kind of training should you give to each of your | | | | finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From |
| employees? Maybe it is time to revisit the budget for | | | | there it was higher than ever. There were only two |
| employee training. Chances are, your competitor | | | | ways down: the steps to defeat or the dive to victory. |
| is.Advanced education. Many of the local schools, both | | | | You stood on the edge, shivering in the hot sun, |
| undergraduate and graduate, are increasingly tailoring | | | | deathly afraid. At last you leaned too far forward, it |
| programs for those who are working full-time jobs. | | | | was too late for retreat, and you dived. The high board |
| Maybe it is time to go back to school. They have | | | | was conquered, and you spent the rest of the day |
| programs that are one night a week or one week | | | | diving. Climbing a thousand high boards, we demolish |
| every four to six months. They even have programs | | | | fear, and turn into human beings."ExcellenceMost |
| where you go to the campus for six weeks a year. | | | | people, if they have the drive and know where to look, |
| Maybe one of these is appropriate for you right now.Is | | | | can get knowledge. Everyone can take advantage of |
| this possible or even reasonable? It sure is. I know | | | | opportunity. A select few, relatively speaking, will take |
| many people who are actively involved in all three of | | | | the risk needed to launch out to succeed. But what |
| the above. | | | | really sets the successful apart from the unsuccessful, |
| Increasing you knowledge will not only help you | | | | or even just the average, is excellence.In his book |
| perform better on the job, it will help you become a | | | | Raving Fans, Ken Blanchard says that many |
| better person.OpportunityIn the summer of 1996 I was | | | | businesses have a false sense of security, thinking that |
| able to tour a country that is not democratic. While I | | | | they are successful, when in reality their customers |
| loved the people and the cultures, I was struck again | | | | don't view them as excellent, but rather as merely "no |
| by a deep appreciation for the fact that we are free | | | | worse than the rest."I would agree. Many of us settle |
| here in the U.S. We are indeed the "Land of | | | | for average, while a few choose excellence, in all |
| Opportunity." And that is the second element of | | | | areas, and go on to succeed far more that the rest of |
| success. Not so much having opportunity, as that is | | | | the crowd.So what are some ideas to have |
| rather inherent to our American system, but that we | | | | excellence be you shining mark? Here are a few:First, |
| see opportunity, and then take advantage of | | | | cultivate an attitude of excellence. Excellence must be |
| opportunity.The successful people who I have met and | | | | your stated goal. Everyone in your business, school, or |
| worked with are people who have an eye for | | | | organization should know that excellence is the |
| opportunity. Is that something they are born with? | | | | benchmark. You should desire it.Second, define |
| Absolutely not!If anything, being able to see opportunity | | | | excellence. What does excellence look like for you or |
| is an attitude. Yes, wisdom is an important part, but if | | | | your group? This then, is the goal.Here are some |
| you believe there is nothing good under the sun, that | | | | areas to begin looking at:My personal life. Do I strive for |
| there is no opportunity, then you won't achieve | | | | excellence in my personal life? Do I know what areas I |
| much.Instead, it is an attitude that does not see any | | | | can improve upon, and do I try to achieve excellence in |
| circumstance as a problem, but sees it as, you | | | | those areas? What about these specific areas: |
| guessed it, an opportunity. A great achiever said, | | | | Financial, spiritual, physical, emotional, |
| "There is never a money problem, only an idea | | | | intellectual?Customer service. Excellence is defined |
| problem." He saw opportunity, not a lack of funds, and | | | | here not in how we think we are doing, but in how the |
| he simply needed to find the way to take advantage | | | | customer thinks we are doing. Have you asked lately |
| of the opportunity!So where do you begin? Right | | | | how you are doing in this area? Ask for suggestions |
| where you are. Take inventory of who you are, as an | | | | on how to excel. Then you can work on achieving |
| individual, a business, or an organization. Then ask the | | | | it.Employee satisfaction. You will more likely achieve |
| following questions. When you get the answers, it is | | | | excellence if you have deeply satisfied employees. |
| simply a matter of follow through. That comes next | | | | How can you make it an excellent place to |
| when we talk about risk.What opportunities do we | | | | work?Product. Is your product excellent? Is your whole |
| have to get better? This is the growth question. When | | | | line? Perhaps you may want to sell fewer, but much |
| you look for how you can grow, and then pursue it, | | | | better, items. It's great to be associated with excellent |
| you're on your way!What strengths do you have? | | | | products.Atmosphere. What does your home, store or |
| What skills, talents, or personalities are your strong | | | | office look, sound, and smell like? Is it a help or |
| points? How can those be seen as an opportunity to | | | | hindrance?I encourage you to think about these things, |
| grow? When you operate out of your strengths, you | | | | and even brainstorm with your family or staff. The |
| have a much better chance of seizing opportunity and | | | | results could be excellence! |
| being successful.What does your market need? This is | | | | |