***Have you recently left your job and are now looking for new opportunities?
***Are you aiming for the next promotion but it’s been eluding you for years?
***Are you looking to leave your corporate job and create a business with flexible time and freedom?
***Are you a business owner who wants to lead higher performing teams?
Working with our clients the past 10 years, we’ve realised there are some common problems that crop up when one is considering a new pathway. Be it a career change, starting a new business or the next level up the corporate ladder, here are some common issues that we see clients face which prevents them from achieving what they deserve.
1. The goal is not big enough.
Most people create the next step goals that they think they can get. Usually, these goals are neither inspiring nor meaningful. It’s the next step that logically makes sense, but it’s not necessarily one that gets you to jump out of bed excited for the day. Without feeling the excitement of doing something new or experiencing new beginnings, it’s highly likely that the goals will fall short very quickly.
Most people have been sold on to the idea that goals must be set based on what you think is achievable. Have you heard the saying
“Don’t dream too big or you’ll get disappointed. Just stick to what’s in front of you.”
“More money in the bank account means more hard work”
Well, research has shown that those who do dream big live happier, healthier, robust lives and have meaningful relationships. They’re not merely existing. They’re excited and won’t take no for an answer. It’s as if they are filled with jet fuel. They exude excitement, confidence and positive aura that people are attracted to be constantly around them, working, helping and spending time with them. They don’t necessarily have all the answers, yet, they seem to attract the right resources at the right time.
Some legendary people you may know who come from ordinary beginnings but lead extraordinary lives are Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Priscilla Chan who embody the “big goals” syndrome. I’m sure if you look around you, you’d notice those who live exceptional lives that came from humble beginnings. The secret of their success is the big, audacious goals and innate fire that kept them relentless in achieving them.
The question is, would you like to be the person that continuously achieves amazing goals and live happier, healthier and robust lives?
2. It’s not about the money.
In Asia, we live practical lives. We grow up with hearing how things are expensive and why we need to work hard to earn good money so we can have a good life. Though money is important, we must realise that money is the result of achieving a goal, and not the goal itself.
When we set a goal that is based purely on achieving a monetary aim, there isn’t necessarily growth. The idea is in order to achieve happier, healthier and prosperous lives, we must grow. That is the natural law of nature. Where there is no growth, the opposite is true, that is death.
Growth comes from developing oneself. Be it acquiring new skills, develop deeper self awareness, learning new thinking behaviours, developing new habits, improve communication skills, oratory skills, digital skills, negotiation or industry specific skills. Without first increasing self development, new goals are not attainable.
Just think, why would someone pay you more for the same level of skills you had before? Businesses pay for what you can produce not for your potential. What are you adding value to what you offer your prospective clients or employer?
Think about this, What is it you’d really like to achieve by
- Having that new opportunity?
- Leading higher performing teams?
- Getting that promotion?
- Creating a business?
Is it
- Solving a pertinent problem for a particular community?
- Creating a lasting impression with a deep legacy?
- Developing productive, harmonious and happier relationships?
- Be recognised as a powerful leader in your industry?
I get that for some it may be as simple as,
“I want to spend valuable time with my kids as they’re growing up and my corporate job doesn’t give me flexibility to do that.”
“I want to get that promotion/job that will provide private schooling and tertiary education for my kids”
“I want to be able to scale my business so I can have more time to myself”
What if you could have it all plus be aligned with your deeper meaningful goal?
Wealth is not just about money. To be truly wealthy, one must have a good relationship with self, be honourable and have strength to walk the difficulties and challenges. Wisdom, courage, confidence, love and fulfilment comes as a result of developing one’s innate abilities. Did you know that the top global leaders are known to invest at least 5% of their earnings in their personal development?
One case comes into mind that illustrates this point. Our company worked with a retired senior banker recently. She invested in her self development by joining our programs to gain clarity for a meaningful goal. Part of her felt despondent and helpless knowing she still had a lot to offer but was unclear as to what would be a great fit so “work” wouldn’t feel like work.
Through developing her intellectual faculties, she found great insights for how best she wants to serve and resolve issues faced by the unbanked population in her home state. This was something she had not imagined before. Yet, she will tell you that it felt like a wish in the deepest recesses of her being that was pulled out from her. It’s a worthy goal she’s excited to unfold. Armed with her newly developed intellectual skills, she found creative solutions and resources to build the required framework for her goal.
What we found exciting was the transformation from a non directional, despondent person to an invigorated go-getter in a few short months. It’s as if a new life breathe into her. Does she face problems, obstacles or challenges in the path of achieving her goals? Absolutely, yes! The difference is, the vision of her worthy goal pulls her and coupled with applying intellectual abilities, she’s attracting the right resources, solutions and connections to help her through it. Most importantly, she’s feeling useful, positive and happier.
Our material life is a reflection of how wealthy we are inside. The great philosophers and industrialists all concur that “We become what we think about.” Defining a worthy goal that is worthy of you ( and not the other way around ) and taking time and effort to develop your intellectual abilities increases your inner wealth. Everything that we see and experience in our material life, was first created in our mind. Those who are in possession of this specialised knowledge have developed innate skills ( right brain abilities ) to accomplish what most people deem as impossible goals.
Know that having a deeper understanding of different aspects of wealth, learning the process of creation and aligning goals to your deeper wishes helps you create a more connected goal that will bring meaning to your life. After all this is your life. You get this 1 life to experience the very best it has to offer, if you choose it.
I’m writing an article on the different aspects of what it means to be wealthy and you’re welcome to read it. Do subscribe to our newsletters (if you haven’t already) so you’d get the updates when it’s released.
3. Accountability is the key to success
Here’s where we start putting things into motion, and I do mean motion, not actions. Motion is the creation of movement. It’s the continuous repeated actions that drive towards an objective that gathers speed, momentum and collets resources along the way.
What we’ve learned through the course of working with clients is the one key resource you cannot do without is an accountability partner.
Because changing pathways can sometimes feel scary, you’re literally going into the unknown and it feels uncomfortable, the tendency to go back to where you came from is stronger than the desire to move forward. Hence, how you choose your accountability partner, who will support you ( not coddle you ) and hold you to your goals and timelines is the most crucial key to your success.
Most people tend to choose their partner, spouse, kids, best friend as their accountability partner. From the survey of our clients journey, we’ve found that the success rates are much lower when the client chooses someone they are closest to as their accountability partner. On the other hand, the success rates for clients who choose accountability partners that they are less familiar with, they respect and has skills to hold a person accountable, are 3x more likely to succeed.
Who would be a great accountability partner?
A supportive accountability partner typically has the following traits:-
- Understanding yet holds the partner to their word
- Courage to say what needs to be said not what the other person wants to hear
- Ability to see the partner’s vision in her even if she can’t see it for herself
- Ability to lead the partner to be self reliant
Where can you find a great accountability partner?
You could engage a mentor, coach or be part of a community that provides accountability for each other. You could also create a mastermind partnership where you invite highly successful people you admire to be part of this movement that supports each member’s goals.
In our group programs, we host mastermind partnerships so our clients get equipped with the skills of being a supportive accountability partner and at the same time, hits the ground running with their goals. You can learn more about our mastermind partnerships here.
I hope you’ve found some valuable nuggets and fresh perspectives from this article that you could put into use immediately. I love to hear your progress, so do feel free to drop a note in the comments box or reach out to me at our telegram channel.
Paddee Connexions works with extraordinary senior leaders, boards and founders who want to up level their life and business. They are fascinating, passionate and successful, yet whatever is coming next still feels like a really big leap. We help them make the tiny shifts that changes everything. Curious? Drop us a message for a quick non-obligatory call here.