I was raised in rural Alaska by wonderful high school-educated parents who only had the means to provide the essentials. This built a powerful drive in me. My father, while our town's school maintenance man for 30 years, modeled a fulfilling life in service of others.
Monetary pursuit can be noble and significant resources allow one to do great good, but my changing perspectives gradually helped me also see the value in pursuing more. Every day, I hope to honor my father's generous legacy as well as his effort to help me reach for my potential.
Passion
Passion begins with the recognition of the critical role we play as trusted advisors to those we serve. Pride surrounds each of us for those we have helped, and regret stings for those we have failed in their times of greatest need.
The passion that drives comes from the realization of the significant value we add to our clients and communities. Find your passion in the recognition of your true value, and then be bold and assert that value. Add value in every interaction, and financial rewards will flow. Avoid negativity.
Protect your passion by taking care of yourself. You cannot help or lead others if you are depleted. Passion will produce perseverance!
Execution
The mountains of business and self-help books all come down to execution. We rarely lack ideas or goals but fail in their effective application. All planning and good intentions fall flat without consistent action. Today does matter and consistent daily activities build sustained momentum which leads to desired results.
If your life is undisciplined and chaotic, it is impossible to bring clarity and direction to the lives of others. The world is not in need of more who think, say or write good things, but pleads for those who DO good things. Be a doer and impact your world for generations. This cannot be a cliché in our profession.
Effective effort
Can we improve upon youthful passion and consistent action? We must to maintain a lifetime of effective effort. We begin all activities and relationships fueled by the energy that comes from the excitement of something new, but it will not sustain for the long haul.
As we take action, we gain skill. As we gain skill, we build confidence. Increasing action, skill and confidence lead to ever improving results. Good results lead to more action, and this success builds upon itself in a continuous cycle, propelling us forward. It also becomes infectious to the others we lead and mentor.