“Success stories are written by those who are prepared to answer the door when opportunity knocks”
— JSP
Successful Living Requires Preparation
In his Principles of Possibility Thinking, Robert H. Schuller says “If It’s Going to Be, It’s up to Me.” The only way to adequately prepare for success tomorrow is to take responsibility for changing how you conduct yourself today.
Unsuccessful people don’t knowingly plan to fail, they fail because they don’t prepare to exceed all expectations for tomorrow. The status quo is always unacceptable to successful people.
“Preparation gives us the advantage of being in the game before it begins”
— JSP
Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden taught “If you take care of the fundamentals and focus on ensuring the execution of the little details, the wins will take care of themselves.”
Wooden did not scout his opponents beforehand, because he believed that properly executing your game plan leads to victory. Wooden and his teams were mentally and emotionally prepared to win.
Prepare yourself for success tomorrow by practicing successful living one day at a time. Just for today take care of life’s fundamentals:
Just for today . . . I will choose and display the right attitudes.
Just for today . . . I will determine and act on important priorities.
Just for today . . . I will know and follow healthy guidelines.
Just for today . . . I will communicate with and care for my family.
Just for today . . . I will practice and develop good thinking.
Just for today . . . I will make and keep proper commitments.
Just for today . . . I will earn and properly manage finances.
Just for today . . . I will deepen and live out my faith.
Just for today . . . I will initiate and invest in solid relationships.
Just for today . . . I will plan for and model generosity.
Just for today . . . I will embrace and practice good values.
Just for today . . . I will seek and experience improvements.
Just for today . . . I will act on these decisions and practice these disciplines, and Then one day . . . I will see the compounding results of a day lived well. (1)
Successful Relationships Require Preparation
I cannot overstate the importance of preparation when meeting people, especially for the first time. Your first impression is the filter people will use to form their opinion of you.
Carol Kinsey Goman writes “Once someone mentally labels you as ‘likeable’ or ‘unlikeable,’ everything else you do will be viewed through that filter. If someone likes you, they’ll look for the best in you. If he/she doesn’t like you, they’ll suspect devious motives in all your actions.” (2)
“If a person is known by the company they keep it must also be true that a company is known by the people they keep”
— JSP
Whether personal or business, you must prepare for successful relationships. James Merritt writes,
A successful marriage depends upon the relationship between the husband and the wife.
A happy home depends upon the relationship between the parents and the children (and between the siblings).
A prosperous business depends upon the relationship between the employees and the customers.
A peaceful community depends upon the relationship between the neighbors.
A successful political campaign depends upon the relationship between the candidate and the voters.
A stable nation depends upon the relationship between the government and its citizens.
World peace depends upon the relationship between nations.
Prepare Your Team For Success
The success of Truett Cathy’s Chick-fil-A restaurants came from his belief in people’s potential. Cathy prepared his people to work together and respect each other, they in turn respected their customers, and their customers enjoyed their service.
To ensure success, prepare your team to function under the golden rule; “Treat others as you would have them treat you.” Why is that kind of team preparation so vital? I’ll answer that question with something I read some years ago.
Remember Me?
“I’m the fellow who goes into a restaurant, sits down patiently, and waits while the waitresses do everything but take my order. I’, the fellow who goes into a department store and stands quietly while the salesclerks finish their little chitchat.
I’m the fellow who goes into a reception room, on time for a business appointment, and stands by the desk while the receptionist finishes her personal phone call.
Yes, you might say I’m a good guy. But do you know who else I am?
I’m the fellow who never comes back. It amuses me to see you spending money every year to try to get me back to your company, when I was there in the first place, and all you had to do to keep me was to show me a little courtesy.”
“Be Prepared” – The Scout Motto
End Notes
(1) From “Today Matters” by John C. Maxwell
(2) From “The Nonverbal Advantage” by Carol Kinsey Goman
*** This article was authored by John Picarello, Chief Leadership Officer at Lions Pride Leadership Co.***