Q: What advice you you give your younger self?
A: You don’t have to know all the answers and you don’t have to pretend that you do.
First Story/Lesson: Perspective matters and going after the things you want
There are two ways you can see the world. You can see the thing you want. or you can see the thing standing in the way of the thing you want.
Second Story/Lesson: London Olympics – Are you nervous or are you excited?
Characteristics of nervousness: Heart starts pounding, your hand may get a little bit clammy, you start thinking ahead about what might happen
Characteristics of excitement: Heart starts pounding, your hand may get a little bit clammy, you start looking forward to what may happen
The symptoms are effectively the same. Learn to interrupt nerves as excitement and you will find yourself feeling fine.
Third Story/Lesson: Type of person who makes it through BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) Training
When they are emotionally exhausted, physically exhausted, when they have absolutely nothing left to give, every single one of them are able to dig down deep inside of themselves to find the energy to help the guy next to them. Those are the guys that become SEALs.
The highest preforming teams are not the smartest, strongest, or the fastest. The highest preforming teams are the ones that give to each other selflessly.
To be part of a great team (Family, Friends, Coworkers, Business Partners, Volunteers,etc), you must give to the group selflessly.
Never forget you are hear because someone took care of you, and you have a responsibility to take care of others. This is what make you great and it is the core of good leaders.
Four Story/Lesson: Be a better listener
Allow all others to speak before you. This allows others to feel heard. Great leaders don’t start the conversation, they end it. For one, you get all the benefit of all the smart people in the room. But most importantly, the people who are there with you, will feel heard. Even if you have the answer, walking into a room to impress everyone with you knowing the answer, makes everyone feel bad and they won’t want to help you in the future. Practice being the last to speak when you are on a team, it is a remarkable skill.
Fifth Story/Lesson: Purpose, Fulfillment, and serve those that serve others
Many of us confuse moment of happiness with joy and fulfillment. We confuse accomplishments with deep fulfillment. Those experiences are wonderful, but happiness is fleeting. After time passes those feelings of happiness are gone. Fulfillment is something entirely different, it is something that you carry with you on a daily basis whether you are enjoying the day or not. It’s like loving your family. You make not like your family every day, but you love your family every day. One is fleeting, the other is lasting. Serve those who serve others, and you will live a life of joy and fulfillment.
Sixth Story/Lesson: “The ceramic cup was never meant for me, it was meant for the position I held, I deserve a Styrofoam cup.”
You are not defined by the position you hold, you are defined by the person you are.
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