Take Yourself to the Top

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!

Chris Widener[from newsletter]