The moment I stopped worrying about what others thought of me and focused on helping young NCOs build confidence in their own abilities is the moment I realized I could have an impact.
All to often we spend hours and even days on creating the perfect plan. The only problem is that plan is useless the moment it is put into action. Nothing ever goes exactly as planned and that scares us. Don’t give up making a plan, just put it into action a bit sooner. Commit to where you are heading and then take the steps to get there. Plan for the next step, not the next 50 steps. When you are committed to an end game and plan the next step and then move into action, you will succeed.
Someone once said that history is important to learn, because it always repeats itself and the wise person will survive. The same is true with how people act and think. The same leadership principles we discuss today were in play thousands of years ago, they just didn’t have the motivational posters on the wall. Study the underlying themes and principles of those who preceded us so we can mentor those who will succeed us.
It always makes me smile when I hear someone talking about a person or subject as if they know all of the facts. I usually just let them go on and on. Why do people feel the need to educate others on things they haven’t had the time to educate themselves on? If you want to be the person who educates others; educate yourself first.
When we are about to step out of our normal routine, we hear voices say to stop. Sometimes it is our own voice and sometimes it is from another. Take a step back and think about what it would mean to be successful in this new endeavor and what is the worst case scenario. Almost every single time, the risk of trying something new is minimal compared to what the voices are saying.
There is a big difference between: “I am going to read more this week” and “I set aside time on my calendar to read from 7-7:30 each day this week.” If you are not willing to make time for something, stop talking about it.
I remember wanting to learn martial arts as a child. I watched Karate Kid and checked out some books from the local library. After countless hours of self tutelage, I was still not an expert. In fact, I learned more in the first week of an actual martial arts class than I did in all of those books. We have to put what we study into motion. If not, it is just like a book on a shelf in our minds. The knowledge might be there, but it is useless without action.
I have been guilty of doing this a lot. I have actually quit new endeavors before they had a chance to take hold. I have made excuses not to try something new, because I might look like an idiot. We need to stop worrying about the bad things that could happen and be present in the moment. We can actually sabotage our futures by worrying about the next step so much that we forget to do something vital now. It is like when a football player starts to run before they catch the ball. Ensure you are fully in this moment before you think about the next.
Ever sit in a meeting and wonder what was so complicated about why you’re there. There is a problem and we have the resources to fix it. Why are we not creating a plan? So often the problem is not the actual issue. The issue is our inability to take ownership of the problem. All of those people sitting around the table are trying to prove the problem was created by someone else and their resources will assist, but not do it all. Step up in these situations and take ownership. Even if no one else gives you credit, there is someone down the line waiting for a solution.
