Nobody talks about the labels people have overcome on their path to success.
I know of a young man who struggled academically, had behavior problems, was diagnosed with ADHD and a learning disability. But he got a job as soon as he could legally work, saved his money, joined the military, saved $20,000 in four years of service, married a smart, kind, quality woman, transferred his military job into an in-demand civilian career, went to night school and got his degree, had two children, bought a house and paid it off in five years, then bought another one for cash. He has a happy well-adjusted family and by all measures is a success.
Yet, his teachers didn’t hold out much hope for him in the beginning.
In Thomas J. Stanley’s book, The Millionaire Mind he says, “Note: Parents, be careful what you tell your children about the future. Far too often parents with good intentions unknowingly condemn their own children to a life of low economic productivity by telling them ten thousand times: ‘You will never amount to anything if you don’t do well in school.’”
Overcome Labels to Impact Performance
But here’s what few people realize…
It’s not just about becoming millionaires—it’s about people who dare to overcome their labels and go on to become successful leaders. They end up guiding and governing in our communities, churches, companies and countries.
Stanley continues, “Life is not one short race—it is a marathon of marathons. Labels come and go. If you believe that you can succeed in life in spite of degrading labels that predict your failure, you are likely to win most of the marathon. This is the common experience among millionaires. The large majority report that at some point or points in their lives they were labeled inferior, average, or mediocre, but they did not allow critics to forecast their future achievements, and they overcame their label of so-called inferiority.”
Here’s what’s key in that quote: They didn’t let critics forecast their future achievements.
These are the spunky people who say to themselves, “Oh yeah? Well, I’ll show YOU!” And they do. They prove to themselves, and the rest of the world, that they have what it takes to succeed. They bend the rules, leverage their talents, outmaneuver competitors, navigate around roadblocks and ultimately, they persevere.
But they’ll often be the first to admit, they’re not the smartest tool in the shed.
Leaders Aren’t Always the Valedictorians
It’s not always the smartest who succeed in a leadership role. The high “C” student, the one with dyslexia, the boy or girl who didn’t get into the International Baccalaureate program or Regents classes can just as easily become the community’s or country’s next leader.
Stanley goes on to say, “But being perfect in school does not translate into becoming a high-performance leader, because analytical intelligence is not a strong correlate of leadership ability.”
And that correlation accounts for less than what you would imagine. “Relations between intelligence and leadership and managerial performance…account for less than ten 10 percent of the variance…” (Fred E. Fiedler and Thomas G. Link, “Leader Intelligence, Interpersonal Stress and Task Performance”)
Tap Into The Big Take-away
Stanley sums it all up by saying this, “…there is a direct positive correlation between the love of one’s vocation and level of net worth. You are much more likely to become wealthy in the future if you enjoy your vocation.
The effect of positive energy and emotion that can be directed into one’s career cannot be understated.”
Positive energy and emotion is a mindset. But maybe there’s no way you can think yourself into a new frame of mind. Perhaps you’ve tried the “love what you do” approach and it’s just not possible where you’re at right now.
Consider the possibilities when you embrace the philosophy: “Do what you love.” That’s easy to say, right? But first it means you must have some idea what you love. Second, you need to continue supporting yourself and your family at the same time you make the transition.
3 Ways to Make the Transition
Here are three ways to get there:
- Take it step-by-step. Take on responsibilities in your present job that align with your desired outcome. If you can afford it, go part-time while you’re building your new career. Or negotiate a four-day work week, then use the added day to create what you love—your career portfolio.
- Go cold turkey. Some of us found ourselves “in transition” without quite expecting it. Others decided they’d had enough and jumped ship before having a safety net in place. The smart ones created a backup plan ahead of time. I’d say, be smart about it. Do your networking and planning in the off hours. Save your pennies. Pay down your bills. Then, make the leap.
- Ask your boss if you can shift to freelance. Then propose a project you can run that benefits them and gives you your first client at the same time. While you won’t have the paid vacation and other benefits, it’s possible you’ll make even more money than when you were an employee. Show them how they will benefit financially from you changing your status to freelance.
In Conclusion, 4 Mindset Shifts
First, reject labels you may have been given in your earlier years. So many others have done it. Here are names of successful people who struggled in school:
- Simon Cowell barely passed any exams
- Steven Spielberg was rejected from film school
- Mark Twain quit his education after elementary school
- Robert Frost was expelled from school for daydreaming
- Jack London, author, was expelled and never graduated
- Albert Einstein was described as mentally slow by teachers
- Jennifer Lawrence, actor, was told she had a learning disability
- Pablo Picasso had a difficult time in school and was labeled dyslexic
- Richard Branson dropped out of school at 16 to start his first business
- Ray Bradbury found school work difficult, so he abandoned formal education
- Walt Disney was labeled with ADHD and was failing at school, so he quit at 16
Second, substitute the negative labels with those that lift you up. Take a few personality assessments and focus on the positive words that describe you. Tape them to your mirror. Write them into your business plan. Embed them into your LinkedIn profile, if you have one.
Third, don’t let anyone discourage you from seeing yourself as a leader and as a success. You may have strengths and talents that aren’t apparent at present, but which appear given the right woods and waters: opportunities, environment and fellow travelers. Find the right pond in which to swim.
Fourth, Believe this! You don’t have to wait for anyone to give you permission to step into a leadership role. Identify a need, then write a newsletter or a book, start a non-profit, create a think-tank, become a mentor, etc. Find the need, then fill it, if only in one small way at first. You’ll grow into the role and then find ways to expand your influence.
And finally, I highly recommend the book, The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley. You’ll be amazed at how many of them are average people, and how often they walk among us!
See you next week, when I’ll be back with more stories, inspiration and encouragement to support you on your path to success!
Warmly, Laura
Wait! Don’t rush off! I’ve put together a booklet of 27 things I wish they’d told me before I started my business. I quit my job with $700 in the bank and three kids to feed, then launched my business the next day. It’s been a wild ride! Grab my 27 Tips and benefit from what I learned along the way!