Success Rule Number One: It Ain't All About You!

A man who was, by all appearances very successful consulted me a few years ago. He had the right address, drove the right luxury car and held memberships in all the right clubs. But, as he put it, it seemed that all the things his success had brought him failed to provide a sense of fulfillment. He said that he felt empty, that there was a piece missing.

After visiting with him for a couple of hours, he said, “You know, my problem is that it’s always been about me. But I realize now that the only way to be happy and successful is to make it about others, because if I make it about others first, then what I need and want will take care of itself.”

Then he added, “And most important, I’ll start liking the man whose face I shave every morning.”

You see, making “it all about me and what I want or need” causes us to lose respect for ourselves. Deep down we know when we have taken advantage of a customer’s lack of knowledge, stole a coworker’s ideas, or taken full credit for something that others made contributions toward achieving. At some point, you will stop liking the man whose face you shave or the woman whose face you apply make-up to each morning.

The most important ingredient for success is knowing how you define success. It is fine to define it with material things (that’s how we keep score).

But also remember that in getting from where you are today to where you plan to be tomorrow means making it about finding ways to help and encourage others. As Zig Ziglar has often said, “help enough people get what they want and you’ll get what you want.”

Have a great and profitable week!
Robert Hidde