How many good leaders have you come across in your professional life? I did, but not many I have to admit. I noticed there was one thing they always did: they showed up. Every single minute of the day. In everything they did. This is how:
During meetings, they looked at their team members, not their smart phones.
They chose to be a caring, empathetic, and loving person. Being a jerk only gets you that far in life (yes, the universe keeps a close watch).
They respected other people´s time. They gracefully stepped off the ´My time is more important than yours´ horse.
They chose what they wanted to do and who they wanted to be (I´m (in a) sexy (job) and I know it!).
They chose to focus on the one and only thing they were very good at without becoming a one trick pony.
They really wanted to be good at what they were doing (versus the paycheck to paycheck jumping manager). Nothing stopped them from realising their dream.
They said ´no´ to a lot of things. And were comfortable with it, leaving the office at a decent time (through the main not the back entrance).
They let go of habits that did not bring them the results they were looking to have (always having their door open for example).
They put first things first, every single day.
They focused on creating and learning rather than feeling comfortably numb in their comfort zones. Because they realised comfort zones do not exist (if only temporary) as they know change bursts any comfort bubble sooner or later.
To put it simply: These leaders made conscious decisions on how they showed up to themselves and others. Every single day. In everything they did. Thing is you can do this too. You just have to make a conscious decision to do it.
Does your smart phone rule you or the other way around?
Do you truly care, listen and have interest in the people you work with?
Are you in the job you really want to do and does this job reflect who you want to be?
Do you take 10 steps in one direction or 1 step in 10 directions?
How many unclosed loops do you have going on in your head because of your inability to say no?
How much compromise have you allowed in your current job that prevents you from having the job you dream of?
How many daily habits do you engage in that bring you the same results in different years (if you´re lucky!) even though you desire to have different results in the same year?
Do you look for comfort in distraction and entertainment (on social media for example) or discomfort in learning and creating (that will bring you growth)?
So when your alarm clock goes off tomorrow morning, what will you contemplate doing differently? Just one tiny thing. And actually start doing it that very same day? That tiny thing could be to stop looking at social media for one day for example. And dedicate the free time to something else worth doing. The thing that will bring you closer to what you wish to achieve.
Question is: What is it that you really want? Because much is possible if you only want it. But first you must choose to want it. Anything else then follows.