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The Tripod of Success

June 18, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

The Tripod of Success
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Featured article by Dave Ferguson in CEOWORLD magazine. Reprinted by permission.

Several years ago, a movie called “The Pursuit of Happyness” debuted. It was based on the real-life story of Chris Gardner, a highly successful businessman who was once homeless.

It compellingly shows how one man and his young son went from sleeping on the floor in a public restroom to living a life of greater comfort, security, and success.

How does someone go from such dire straits to high levels of success?

It boils down to the tripod of success.

  • Attitude
  • Motivation
  • Willingness to learn and do the work

Chris had the tripod.

Was life hard? Harder than most can imagine.

Were the odds against him? Indeed, they were.

Was his dream nearly impossible, given his situation? Most people would say, “Yes.”

But Chris was incessantly driven to get back up every time life knocked him down.

Driven from within by a “never-give-up” attitude; and motivated from without by the desire to give his son a better life, Chris walked up to a highly successful businessman and point-blank asked him how he got there.

The man was taken aback. No one had the nerve to ask him that question before. But it got his attention, and in a good way.

One thing led to another, and Chris worked his way into becoming a highly successful businessman, too. There were nights he and his son slept in homeless shelters or on a public restroom floor, but he showed up for work each day, nonetheless.

His is one powerful story of how attitude, motivation, and a willingness to learn and work can change a life trajectory; and, what’s more, a family’s legacy.

People often say they want a better life for themselves and their families.

They are tired of just getting by in their career or business. Unlike Chris, they may live in nice houses and drive expensive cars; but underneath it all, they know they are just a few paychecks from homeless. Or maybe they are doing well, but dependent on one company or one client for the support of their family.

Think about that.

Does the thought concern you?

It should.

It is wise to diversify – not just your stock portfolio, but your income streams. This doesn’t mean you have to work 80 hours a week, either.

What would it mean to you to have the security of an additional income stream?

What would several income streams provide in terms of freedom and opportunity?

Conversations reveal that most people are concerned about the limits on their income from a job that may or may not exist for them tomorrow – and the limits on their freedom if it does.

There’s a better way.

Those same conversations also reveal key indicators for whether or not they will succeed. This is where the attitude surfaces, and attitude is a key indicator.

“Teach me how, and I will do this!”

“I will do whatever it takes because this is important to me and my family.”

OR

“I need more income, but…”

“I want more freedom, but…”

These are clear indicators.

Surprisingly, many argue against the advice they have requested, saying it won’t work for them or they are too busy (or any number of other excuses). It would be like Chris Gardner asking the stockbroker how he got to where he was and then…walking away.

In two words, that is MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

There is a tripod of success, and it is this.

  • Attitude
  • Motivation
  • Willingness to learn and do the work

Armed with these three powerful tools, Chris Gardner created a brand-new life.

And, by the way, so can you!


Dave FergusonDave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. Are you interested in talking to Dave about coaching or having Dave speak to inspire and motivate your team? “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.

 

 

The High Cost of Fence Sitting

May 17, 2017 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

The High Cost of Fence Sitting

In a previous article, we talked about the painful causes of fence sitting.

Now let me ask you a question that I’ve asked several leaders before: “If you are sitting on the fence right now, is it causing you enough pain yet?”

Have you ever thought of what procrastination has cost you and what it could cost you in the future?

Let’s shed some light on a few of the actual “costs” to us when we decide to tell ourselves that doing something other than what we should be doing is smart. Considering the costs will help us find ways to move beyond procrastination and its consequences.

Here are just a few of the costs of fence sitting, otherwise known as procrastination.

1. Procrastination can take a potential problem and make it a crisis.

Have you in your company ever put off a maintenance issue or needed upgrade, only to have it creep up later as a large-scale issue (or emergency) with considerable added cost? Have you ever run out of gas because it wasn’t convenient to stop for gas when the light first came on? Did the first example empty out critical funds, while the second example made you late for an important meeting

Be the kind of leader who takes care of problems before they become crises.

2. Procrastination can hurt people.

If you have a partner – or partners – in your business, laziness can ruin the partnerships. When one person believes they are doing more than the other, issues start to arise. If one partner is lazy or angry, it is almost impossible to make a critical work. Many business partnerships are rooted in critical . It is a harsh fact, but in most of these cases, both partners knew exactly what needed to be done to make things work, but they did not exert the necessary efforts to change.

Be a leader who works hard, and create a team who does the same.

3. Procrastination wastes opportunities.

Sometimes opportunity knocks, and no one is home. We can be so closed off to opportunity that we never get a chance to take advantage of it. Look around you. You already know people who took advantage of opportunities. They are often called “lucky”. The fact is, “luck” is often the result of taking action when others just sit on the sidelines. Wayne Gretzky said it well: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Be a leader who actively seeks opportunity and shoots for the goal.

4. Procrastination sets a bad example.

As a leader, you set an example. It can be a good or bad example, but you do set an example – for your peers, your employees, your family, and your community. Procrastinating leaders set the example of fear, anger, laziness, and indecision. They fail to discipline themselves and therefore cannot create discipline and action within the organization or in the other areas of their lives.

Be a leader who sets the gold standard in each area of your life.

It has been said that actions have consequences. Inaction has consequences, too. As a leader, your action – or inaction – can mean the difference between a great result or a serious crisis. Don’t pay the high price of fence sitting.


Dave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. For help in getting off the proverbial fence and on to success, “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.

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