Humility

Humility is essential to success. 

It’s almost impossible to get there without it. 

You have to be willing make an honest assessment of yourself, to learn and to ask for help. 

Each requires humility. 

Be humble. 

Take stock of where you’re weak and own the problems and solutions. 

Ask for help along the way. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. 

Humble yourself and seek to improve in every area of your life. 

There are no finished products this side of Heaven. Embrace this truth and it’ll change everything. 

The overload principle

There is a principle in physical training called the Overload Principle. 

It’s used to force your body and mind to grow by consistently pushing past your limits. 

It’s why you can and should put more weight on the bar every training session until you’ve acquired significant strength. 

The military uses the Overload Principle to forge warriors of steal. The most visible example is what the Navy Seals call Hell Week. 

Things like Hell Week have a remarkable impact on those who make it through. They inoculate them to stress by overloading their minds and bodies. They push them to their limits and develop within them the ability to endure almost anything. Navy Seals can move forward and win when things go bad on the battlefield because training prepared them. 

The same principle applies not only in the gym or ranks of the military elite but in your life as well. 

You are going to live through some pretty awful days. Bad things are going to happen and the plan you have for your day, your year, your life is going to get off track. 

This will ruin you and your chances of reaching your goals if you fail to prepare for adversity. 

Preparing for adversity is simple. Overload and stress your mind, your body, your everything to the max. 

Put yourself in uncomfortable and scary positions. 

Think about the worst possible scenarios and plan for how you’ll respond. 

If you want to get stronger physically, put more weight on the bar, train when it’s extremely hot/cold, do things that fill you with fear.  

If you want to give a remarkable presentation, practice every possible disaster scenario. Practice without slides, without handouts, without power to the building. Practice overcoming brutal objections and rudeness. Think through how you’ll respond under the worst of circumstances. 

You get the picture. 

They say circumstances don’t make character but reveal it. That’s hog wash in this case. Harsh, trying and nearly impossible circumstances can help you grow like nothing else can. They will stretch you and force you to grow in ways comfort never can. 

Step out of your comfort zone and embrace adversity. 
 

Lead With Your Weaknesses

You're not perfect. Whether it's sarcasam, responding out of anger or not delivering on your commitments, you make dozens of mistakes each and every day. The temptation to hide and minimize your mistakes is overwhelming because the first thing you want to do is run as far from them as possible. 

While this is your natural tendency it might not always be the best strategy for responding to failure. Our failures provide us with an opportunity to take giant steps forward and helps us connect with others. Today, I want to encourage you not to run from or hide your failures but to embrace and share them openly. 

Display your authentic self. Openly discussing your short comings and failures knocks down the dividing wall and allows others to connect with you. Whether you are aware of it or not there is a dividing wall between you and those you impact and lead. Often times that wall of division is the gap between who you truly are and others perception of you. The quickest way to shrink this gap is to authentically share your struggles and failures. The fear in doing so is that it will change how people see you. The funny thing is that this fear is 100% true. They will see you differently, just not in the way you fear they will. 

Part of the reason people lean in and see you more positively when you share your struggles is that they can relate. People aren't perfect and they know it. They already know you aren't perfect either and that you make mistakes because you're human. Opening up and leading with your weakness displays confidence not the lack there of. People will follow a leader who doesn't run from his short comings. 

Be known for owning your stuff. The next time you drop the ball or just blow it, seize it for the opportunity that it is and own it. Do far more than acknowledge that you messed up, ask those impacted by your failure to forgive you. Trust me, this is a trait you want to be known for. It displays a humble heart, empowers others and will transform your relationships.