It happens once a year. We celebrate this thing we call our “birthday.” It is always a wonderful thing to know we are one of the lucky ones who made it one more year. While birthdays are a great time for celebration, I also believe it can be a wonderful time for reflection. To look back on the past 365 days – and however many years you’ve been on planet Earth – and reflect on the good, and not so good, lessons you have learned along the way.
The following are 42 lessons I have learned in my lifetime. Most of these lessons have been learned the hard way. Yet, as Sadhguru states, “For the committed person there is no failure; only lessons.”
I have divided these lessons up into three different categories: Organizational, Leadership and Personal.
Please check out my podcast (Apple, Spotify and Google) as I walk through each of these briefly with my dear friend, Nicole Pearson.
Which of these lessons most resonate with you?
ORGANIZATIONAL INSIGHTS
- Be loyal or leave.
- Never, ever gossip to other co-workers. Ever.
- Have courage. Tell the truth.
- Help others rise to your level.
- Hard work matters. Relationships matter more.
- It’s easier to focus on the shortcomings of others than your own.
- Everything really does rise and fall on leadership.
- If you don’t fit the culture, nothing else will matter.
- Come in quietly and simply do the work. Trust is built with time and expertise.
- Never speak ill of your boss. Have the bravery to go directly to him or her. Or leave.
- Never outshine the boss.
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS
- It’s always your fault. Always.
- Empowerment always works. Always.
- Read, read and then read some more.
- You learn more by listening than by talking. But it’s really hard.
- Allow the people around you a voice in the direction of the team or organization.
- Don’t blame the person; blame the system.
- Leadership is both and art and a science.
- Leadership is calling greatness out of others.
- Authenticity wins every time.
PERSONAL INSIGHTS
- Gratitude. Always.
- Where focus goes, energy flows. Tame your focus.
- Sometimes it’s okay to shut up.
- Take full responsibility. When something does not work out, it’s your fault. Every time.
- Let challenges push you forward.
- You attract people and opportunities commensurate to person you are.
- Listen to yourself. Yes, take advice and seek outside counsel. But you know the right answer. Listen to yourself.
- You will rarely get a second take on a great opportunity. Be smart enough to see it and disciplined enough to keep it.
- Be the person (or people) you wish to attract in life.
- Knowing your purpose in life is the single greatest most important thing you can know about yourself…and the hardest.
- Once you know your purpose, focus your life around that purpose.
- The only things you will regret in life are (1) the shots you didn’t take and (2) the times you quit when you know you shouldn’t have.
- Self-awareness is key.
- Success is found in decades in one place. (one career, one location, one partner, etc.)
- Compassion for self; compassion for others. (The Jeanie principle)
- There is no secret to success. It’s all about consistency. Make of list of top 10 actions you need to take to reach your goals. Spend 80% of your time on the top 2 actions.
- Choose your life partner carefully. And then commit.
- When somebody tells you something about yourself, believe them.
- Heal your childhood wounds. If possible, get the help you need early in life. But get it.
- For the committed person, there is no such thing as failure.
- Don’t quit. Ever. Quitters hurt others and, most of all, themselves.
- Did I mention, gratitude and thankfulness in all things?
Rise Higher,
