Secrets of high achievers

“Life is not fair!”

“The reason why the position was given to her is because my boss likes her!”

“I was never given a chance to prove my worth!”

“I’m sure HR had a hand in this, and that’s why I haven’t been promoted!”

And so the whining continues.

But here’s an observation: while there’s much injustice in the world and in the workplace, high achievers remain serious about their personal growth. Personal discipline is basic and fundamental with them, and these winners are willing to do things that average people are unwilling to do.

High achievers, as well as soldiers and athletes, are comfortable with the word discipline. They don’t view it as an unpleasant chore, but rather, as the ticket price for playing in the game. Most people view discipline negatively. They equate the word with punishment. This is a fundamental flaw in understanding the process that leads to improvement.

In my interactions with leaders and achievers of the corporate world, I can say that winners share certain expressions of self-discipline. May they be bankers, marketing people, engineers, pharmacists, telecom employees or food executives, they all express self-mastery over the following fields:

1. THEY ARE DISCIPLINED WITH THEIR TIME.

Winners stick to their schedule. They can’t tolerate tardiness because they value their time. They find productive endeavors to fill up their time because they know that if they don’t determine how they spend their time, others will take it away from them. No need to wonder why it’s so hard to get an appointment with these leaders; they prioritize what’s important over what’s urgent. This is the reason why the moment they call me for a meeting, I show up early… really early.

2. THEY ARE DISCIPLINED WITH THEIR WORDS.

Perhaps they’ve experienced being misquoted. Perhaps they’re aware that people can twist their words. This is why winners are extremely cautious with what they say. They put their minds in gear before opening their mouths. They know that anything they say can be used for or against them.

3. THEY ARE DISCIPLINED WITH THEIR MOODS AND EMOTIONS.

Winners and high achievers can be mistaken as seasoned poker players – their faces display very little emotion. Average people don’t know how to control their moods. They usually feel their way to a decision rather than think and contemplate over what they should or shouldn’t do.

Successful people live by their commitments. They do things even when they don’t feel like doing it, because they know that achieving the end result is worth any inconvenience. They respond more than they react. They’ve mastered the art and science of restraining their emotions.

4. THEY ARE DISCIPLINED WITH THEIR FINANCES

The real successful and loaded people aren’t showy. They prefer simplicity over BLING. Many of the truly rich people are also generous, and they extend help without fanfare or publicity. They have resources that can last them many lifetimes, yet they’re frugal because they’re disciplined.

5. THEY ARE DISCIPLINED WITH THEIR WORK.

Winners aren’t “forced” to work because they want to earn more. This is a great misconception. The truth is that high achievers are motivated to do better work because they enjoy the fruit of their risk and labor. They understand that the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement, and so they constantly challenge themselves to become better.

Meanwhile, the moans, the groans, the whimpers and the murmurs of the average continue. I guess it’s more comfortable for them that way… For the moment until… You know what I mean!

All these traits are found in the Book of Proverbs by the way. I challenge you to search for them.

(Attend the fund raising seminar “We Will Rise!”, a whole day featuring eight of the top speakers in the country. Learn, give and share as ALL proceeds will go to the typhoon victims of Yolanda, on December 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at CCF Makati, A Venue. For further inquiries, contact Inspire at 09158055910, or call 632-6310912 or 6310660 for details.)