Impact

There’s a lot of talk these days about success and what makes a person successful.  First off, success is individual.  Each person has their own identity when it comes to success.  Some think of success as simply achievement.  I set out to do X and I accomplished X.  Or, I want to make X amount of money and I make X amount.

In my dealings with many clients and business leaders, explicitly with high performers, I do believe that success differs for each individual. That being said, I believe there’s a common theme among all higher performers.

This is Impact. Whether it’s impacting a client, a team, a family, another person…whatever that is…it comes down to impact. Those that feel they aren’t impacting others in a meaningful way are typically not viewing themselves as successful.

So, I’ll ask, are you impacting others? Are you really making an impact on whatever it is you’re doing day to day? Your family? Your business? Your friends? Your cause? The list is really endless.

Impact matters. This is a quality we can all cultivate, in my opinion. I don’t believe we’re simply born with the ability to impact others in a positive way. It can be a learned trait. It can literally be a daily focus….a moment by moment focus. To me, I think it comes down to adding value. Either you’re adding value or you’re not. Simply ask that of yourself. In every interaction, are you being a positive influence or a negative influence. That’s true impact.

At times, this means you have to press and you have to talk about tough things. Making an impact isn’t always about talking about how great everything it is. Sometimes it’s the hard conversations that no one wants to have.

Impact. You can literally change someone’s life when you think about this way. Adversity can strike, you can be ready to fight back….and think twice about how you respond.

Tactically, think about an interaction today. Whether it’s dealing with your kids, a colleague, a client, a parent or a friend….think about how you make a positive impact on your interaction. This may mean swallowing crow….this may mean thinking outside the box. This may mean showing a high level of humility. Push yourself a bit. Thinking this way is a paradigm shift – I really believe that.

How can you impact others in a positive and meaningful way? That’s the big question. You can impact others every day – don’t ever underestimate it!

Good luck!