5 Traits of Personal Mastery (2 of 2) by Darren Hardy

We are talking about personal mastery and what the best in the world do to achieve their extraordinary levels of success.

If you missed the first post with traits ONE and TWO go here: Part 1

THREE
They are super particular about how they spend their time.


Because they are so passionate about what they do and their pursuit for excellence, they guard their time and attention to anything else vigorously. You too should have such vigilance.

Learn more in The Overachiever vs. Superachiever series: Installment #1, #2, #3, #4

FOUR

Those who end up achieving a level of personal mastery are willing to fail fast, fail often and continue to persevere.

This is an interesting attribute and one you might find difficult to get your emotional arms around. It seems that those who achieve mastery, which is really the opposite of failure, would be failure-averse, but it is quite the opposite.

In fact, many of these great masters thrive on failure. Since they are obsessed with improvement they know they can only experience growth through failure. They want to continually find their boundaries. That is how they understand their capabilities and find ways of breaking through.

Success is actually not that satisfying or exhilarating to them; it is the failure, thus the opportunity to tweak, iterate, improve and therefore get to the next level, which is thrilling to them.

Look at all those you admire; Branson, Trump, even Jobs has produced some duds. Google is constantly putting things out into the marketplace that flop. It’s how they find their winners and how they improve with great speed on those ideas they care about.

How about you? How much failure are you pushing yourself toward every day?

Obtaining mastery can only be achieved through a perpetual gantlet of failures. Do as Thomas Watson of IBM said: “If you want to speed up your success, double your rate of failure.” Start today.
Learn more in the Knocked on Your Tush series: Installment #1, #2, #3, #4

FIVE
Those who achieve a level of world-class excellence do it by having a world-class support team.
These are world-class advisors, consultants, coaches, mentors and other high-achieving peers. No Olympic champion, superstar athlete, market-disruptive game-changing CEO, or rock star entertainer ever gets to the top of their game without building a rock star support team.

Let me put it simply: The best in the world, if they are truly the best in the world, have all gotten there because they have the best-in-the-world coaches, mentors and advisors.

What level of achievement do you want to reach?
Do you want to be average?
You can do that on your own, no support team needed.

Do you want to be good? You will need a good support team.
Do you want to be great? You will need a great team.

Do you want to be excellent, world-class and become the best in your industry?
You will need an excellent, world-class and the best-of-breed support team to get you there.
I can’t put it any more plainly than that.

Does all this sound difficult? It is.
Why do you think so few people ever reach a level of mastery?
Why do you think it is so difficult to find a person, company, brand, product, service or organization that operates at a level of excellence?
It’s because it’s hard. But if you are willing to work hard, there’s very little competition.

I’ll leave you with a quote from one of the great masters in history, Michelangelo. He said, “If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.”

Mastery is not talent, chance or luck: it’s hard work, but it’s worth it, because mastery is magnificent!

TeamBlitz would love to hear your thoughts on your plans for achieving mastery in your industry. Share your comments below. Like and share the article with others.

5 Traits of Personal Mastery (1 of 2) by Darren Hardy

One of the great benefits of my role as publisher and editorial director of SUCCESS magazine is that it gives me almost unfettered access to the most successful achievers in the world. I get to meet and spend time with most anybody you can imagine.

When I get knee to knee with many of these extraordinary people, my job is to try and decode the DNA of their mindset, philosophies, best practices and success strategies. Most of these unique individuals are the best in the world at what they do. I am there to find out about what they do and what has elevated them above everyone else in their competitive profession.




They could be leading CEOs, revolutionary entrepreneurs, superstar athletes, musicians or entertainers, Olympic champions or people who have overcome terrific challenges to go on and make a big impact on the world.

Over the next couple of posts I will reveal the five traits responsible for the personal mastery of many of the most revered leaders in our society. I will also suggest how you too could master the qualities that can make you the best in the world in your marketplace and in your area of expertise.
ONE

Since you are reading this blog there is a great chance you already possess this most critical attribute for personal mastery and that is being a consummate learner.

Those who actually achieve a level of mastery are obsessed with learning, growing and improving.
You probably read the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (you have, haven’t you?). This is where he repeatedly refers to the 10,000-hour rule as what separates those who end up with great “talent” from everyone else—essentially they just out-practice everyone else.

My favorite model, because I relate, of someone who is OCD about constant improvement is the late Steve Jobs. One of my favorite quotes from Jobs is, “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

Jobs’ mantra around the Apple office was, “There has got to be a better way.” This attitude and discipline of raising the bar of excellence permeated every facet of his team. Every person at Apple was required to continually identify the greatest constraints of the processes over which they were responsible. Then they were expected to constantly have two or three opportunities prioritized for improvement… and you could be asked to report on it during any hallway conversation.

How committed are you, really, to your continual learning, growth and improvement?
Are you listening to instructional and inspirational content continually in your car, while you walk, run or exercise?

Do you have a short list of the main constraints to achieving your goals and a plan for improvement? Do each of your team members?

Maybe there is room for improvement in these areas?

TWO

They have a compelling vision and a deeply motivating reason ‘WHY’ for wanting to realize that vision.
No question—those who achieve personal mastery are DRIVEN. That drive, that motivation and energy it takes to want to drive yourself through the 10,000 hours of practice and iterative improvement comes from having a vision, a goal and a white-hot burning reason why you want to achieve that goal.

It could be to “make a dent in the universe” by empowering the creative types like Jobs or to “stick up for the little guy against the abusive corporate behemoths” like Branson. Or it could be simply to afford the education for your children you never had access to, or to retire your parents in financial comfort… whatever. It needs to be something that is going to spring you out of bed, drive you passionately throughout the day, through challenges, frustrations, failures and difficulties, and tuck you into bed, yearning for morning to come so you can start again.

Like 16-time Grammy-winning producer David Foster said to me, “If you wouldn’t rather be working on your art or your business on Saturday morning instead of laying on the beach, playing golf or tennis, you are probably in the wrong profession.” Or I’d say, you’re going to have a hard time achieving a level of mastery and excellence in your business if you are not absolutely in love with your work and borderline OCD about becoming better at it

Do you spring out of bed each morning fired up about tackling problems and opportunities each new day?

Are you excited and energized about your work all day long?

Do you go to bed satisfied with what you accomplished and contributed each day?

If not, why not?

How often do you practice? What do you do to constantly improve and seek personal mastery? 

Share your comments below. Like and share this article with others.

Getting Knocked Down by Darren Hardy

We all get knocked down from time to time—it’s part of what makes life interesting… always keeping us alert and on our toes.

I recently shared a perspective in a keynote presentation I did that helped reshape my view of obstacles and life’s difficulties; this might help you too…

My wife’s best friend has a friend whose husband, I am embarrassed to say, I envied. He had the life I wanted. We are close in age and both came from the Bay Area of San Francisco.



After several failed businesses, he started an electronics store called “Jacks.” The stores were relatively successful and were bought out for a good sum. He then invested that money into commercial real estate in the San Diego Valley, before the boom. He ended up owning several buildings that made him tens of millions, maybe hundreds of millions.

We would go to his parties at the home he custom built in Rancho Santa Fe (one of the richest ZIP codes in the county). The home, estate really, was more than 10,000 square feet on an amazing piece of sprawling land and it was designed in just the style I love.

His cars were amazing and he also had a yacht in the harbor and a private plane. He was also a good-looking guy and had a beautiful family he adored and who adored him. He was warm, friendly and always the life of the party. I wanted his life. In my head (privately, of course) I would wish I was Gary Boyd.

A year and a half ago he had a cough that became increasingly worse. When he went to the doctor he was diagnosed with throat cancer. He never smoked, lived relatively healthy—it was completely unexpected. He had finally arrived, was living the life he never could have imagined, and then this.

His family had to watch him slowly and painfully wither away until he finally died seven months ago.
Now, every day I say, thank God I am not Gary Boyd.

Here is the point: No matter what obstacle I encounter now, no matter what setback I experience, I have a whole new perspective on just how “catastrophic” the situation really is. If I take a risk and am embarrassed, if I call someone and they reject me, if I lose a bunch of money in an investment, if I wreck my car, lose my house (not that I have!), no matter what obstacle comes my way, I say, “At least I am not Gary Boyd.”

Point is, as long as you are on the right side of the dirt, no obstacle really matters.

We all experience failure, setbacks, disappointments and obstacles. And yes it hurts, and that is okay. We are human. Rejection, failure and letdowns hurt humans. It’s part of the deal.
Now the difference is how long you let it keep you down.

Here is the evolution I have gone through and recommend for you. What used to bum me out for 2 weeks I eventually whittled down to 2 days. Then I got it down to 2 hours and then 20 minutes. Now when I am knocked down, I give myself about 2 minutes to sulk and then I brush myself off and get back on the horse. I also look to replace the experience with something positive. I never allow myself to end the session or day with a defeat. I will keep working until I can gain some kind of victory.

So it’s okay to get knocked down; its even good for you—it’s the beginning of growth. And it’s okay that it smarts a bit. And it’s okay to give yourself some recovery time. Now just try and reduce the time it knocks you out. And get over the idea that life sucks for you. Remember, you are not Gary Boyd.

What do you do when you get knocked down? What do you do to lick your wounds and get yourself back on the horse? Share your tips in the comments below.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (3 of 3) by Darren Hardy

In the last post I promised to give you an investment tip of a lifetime. Ready for it?

I received this investment tip originally from Brian Tracy more than 15 years ago and it has produced a personal ROI (Return On Investment) of many millions of dollars.





This was the pitch Brian gave me:

“For every $1 you invest in ___________________, it will return $30 to your bottom line.”

That’s 30 to 1!

Even if you are the most experienced investor, where can you get a nearly guaranteed 3000% (or greater, depending on your allocation) on your money?

Compare it to these investment returns over the past several years:

S&P 500: 1.65%

Dow Jones Industrial: 29.49%

Real Estate: -19.47

Bonds: 8.19%

U.S. Treasury: 16.36%

3000% looks better, eh?

Okay, here’s the “insider” investment tip:
 
Invest in YOU… and your greater personal development.

I’m not just being clever here. I’m serious (and so was Brian).

This is what Jim Rohn taught me long ago:
 
“Income seldom exceeds personal development.”

Therein lies the key to growing your income—growing yourself.

Let me explain and then I will give you the investment formula Brian Tracy gave to me 15 years ago that earned me millions…

Here is how this works: The level of success we experience in our outer world is simply the mirror reflection of our self-identity and personal development of our inner world. Period.

Let me use the analogy of a thermostat to make this make sense. Thermostats have what is called a set point—the set temperature of the room. Now no matter what happens outside, hot or cold, the thermostat will kick on the heat or the air conditioner to bring the temperature back to that set point.

Inside of each of us is also a set point. This is your current level of self-worth or personal development. No matter what happens outside you (temporary financial windfall, finally lose those 20 lbs., marriage going well) you will always adjust back (sabotage) to your set points. We ALL do this.

Simply put, you will only ever have, be, do or maintain on the outside what matches your inside set points—your personal development.

When you raise your set points/personal development (self-identity, mindset, attitude, philosophy, skills and abilities), everything in your life will be raised with them.

This is why Jim gave us these pivotal instructions:

“If you want to have more, you have to become more.
 
For things to change, you have to change.
 
For things to get better, you have to become better.”

“If you improve, everything will improve for you.
 
If you grow, your money will grow; your relationships, your health, your business and every external effect will mirror that growth in equal correlation.”

The Multimillionaire Investment Formula

This is the critical investment plan Brian Tracy taught me 15 years ago. He said, of course take 10% of everything you earn and tithe it to help other people. Then take another 10% and use it to help yourself—invest it in your greater personal development.

When I earned $150,000 as a teenager, it was $15,000 to spend on my greater personal development, which I did. At $500,000, that’s $50,000 to spend, which I did. At over a million, that’s over $100,000 to spend, which I have done many times. This is why you see world-class achievers hiring world-class personal coaches, advisors and mentors. It truly is the most profitable investment you can make—I can vouch for that.

“If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” —Benjamin Franklin

Essentially, training, coaches and other personal development materials are FREE. If they help you earn more and become more than you would have without them, they effectively pay for themselves AND give you a multiple on your money (30X by Brian’s estimate).

When evaluating the investment in your personal development, don’t ask what it costs. Instead ask what is it worth—in increased health, wealth, happiness and success. Never begrudge the money you spend on your personal development. The best investment you can ever make is the investment in YOU… and your greater development.

Here is my final appeal to have you invest more in you: if you have big goals, dreams and ambitions I encourage you make sure the size of your personal development investment matches the size of your goals—if you are serious about achieving them. Otherwise, they might remain just frustrating fantasies.

How do you invest in your personal development? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

*S&P 100 INDEX (^OEX) 10-01-2001 – 10-21-2011
*Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) 10-01-2001 – 10-21-2011
*Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET) 10-01-2001 – 10-21-2011
*Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) April 2007 – 10-21-2011
*T. Rowe Price US Treasury Long-Term (PRULX) Sept 2001 – 10-21-2011

Seeds of SUCCESS by Jim Rohn

Neglect

We've all heard the expression, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well, I've got a good question for you: What if it's true? Wouldn't that be easy to do—to eat an apple a day? Here's the problem: It's also easy not to do.

Neglect starts out as an infection then becomes a disease.

Cardiovascular problems alone in America create over a thousand funerals a day... and 90% of the problem is neglect.

One of the reasons many people don't have what they want is neglect.

"Vitamins for the Mind" is a weekly sampling of original quotes on a specific topic taken from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. The burgundy hardbound book with gold-foil lettering is a collection of more than 365 quotes on 60 topics gathered from Jim's personal journals, seminars and books and spanning more than 40 years.

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