37. |
Model the Success You Desire |
If you allow it and are open to it, you can learn from everyone you meet. Depending on the encounter, either you can learn how to achieve the results you want, or, as is in the case of undesirable encounters, you can learn what not to do. Both lessons can be valuable.
Over the years I’ve made a practice of studying people who have achieved something I’d like to accomplish. Whether in health, fitness, business, or even relationships, if I want to achieve a particular result, I can find someone who achieved it and learn to do what they did. This idea, known as modeling, is a simple, powerful way to increase performance in any area of your career or personal life and is a strategy that can be used by anyone.
Simply find someone who is a achieving the kind of results you’d like in a given area and learn what she does and how she does it. If possible, meet with her personally and ask for her help. You could interview a top producer in your company, for example, and learn what she did. Then simply follow in her footsteps.
If you were doing this in sales, for example, one of the things you would model is the person’s strategy — specifically, what she does and how she does it. You would also elicit her thought processes as best you can.
In business one essential thing you want to model from a successful person is his beliefs. This, by the way, is one reason you want to read and watch biographies of the successful people you want to emulate — it will give you fresh perspectives and help you develop new, more empowering beliefs.
If you’re in sales, modeling the beliefs and strategies of top people will give you new ideas about your job. I guarantee that the salesperson in your company who earns ten times the average does not work ten times harder. Rather, he is operating from a different set of beliefs and guiding principles, using different strategies, and taking different actions.
If at all possible, invite the top seller in your company for coffee or to lunch and ask him for suggestions. Most of the successful people I know are only too happy to share ideas, since doing so deepens their own understanding and gives them new insights.
Modeling can be a great boon to your personal and business success. Learning from others who have achieved what you want can cut years off your learning curve and propel you toward your success faster than if you did it on your own. Remember, success is a team sport. No one, and I mean no one, does it alone.
When I was a beginning writer, I attended seminars for authors and publishers, and I listened to audio recordings of people who had succeeded in selling their books. Whatever you want to achieve, in any area of your life or business, finding role models to learn from is one of the wisest things you can do for your own success.
Look over your top goals and determine who has achieved success in that area and might be able to help you. If you don’t know anyone personally, you can usually find a book written by someone who has done what it is you’re working on. You can listen to podcasts, audiobooks, and webinars. You can watch videos and attend seminars. You may want to join an industry association in your field. Associations are known for having professional education, and some even offer mentoring programs from more seasoned members.
It’s an accepted fact that people who do their jobs well are happier overall than those who struggle. It stands to reason that we enjoy what we do well, so by becoming the best you can at whatever you do, you will be increasing your happiness, not to mention improving your standing at work.
By making modeling part of your personal-development strategy you will achieve greater results faster than ever before.