Recently I had a birthday which always forces me to reflect on my life a bit. Some things that came to my mind this year are things I’ve learned from others who have helped mentor and guide me through life. These teachings have really had a profound impact on me so I wish to share three of these simple lessons today with you.
#1-Remember the 5 P’s
“Remember the 5 P’s” is something I often heard my high school basketball coach say during practice. The five P’s of course are “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.” Outside of basketball, this has come to mean much more to me. I realize now that every moment matters as every moment is preparation for how we will act during times of stress, difficulties, and challenges in life. If we are always preparing to perform well in life and as leaders, then when the inevitable challenges arise, we will succeed because we’ve properly prepared. So always remember the 5 P’s.
#2-Perception is Reality
My first boss right out of college constantly reminded me that “perception is reality.” The repetition of this phrase became very annoying to me in the moment but has now come to mean something very important. The perception people have of us, though it may not be accurate, is truth to them. As leaders, we must do everything we can to protect our good name, character, and integrity. We must avoid even giving the perception that we are dishonest or uninterested. As leaders, we must never participate in anything that would cause people to lose respect or confidence in us. We must always remember that leaders are being watched at all times and our ability to persuade and effectively lead will be based on others perception of us. So we must remember, the perception of others is reality to them therefore we must do everything we can to create and maintain a positive perception.
#3-Turn and Look
Lastly, a more recent mentor always reminded me to “turn and look.” Though we have mountains to climb ahead of us she always encouraged our team to occasionally stop and turn and look at the mountains we had already crossed. Thus, when facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life, we should pause and reflect on everything we have already overcome and accomplished. Reflecting on our “wins” will give us courage and confidence to move forward realizing that we have crossed many mountains before and survived. This is exactly what I’ve been doing on my birthday this year—reflecting on the mountains I’ve already crossed and eyeing the mountains that lay ahead. And I feel motivated and ready to cross many more mountains this year!
These mentors along with many others in my life have come to mean a great deal to me because of their examples and what they have taught me. Their influence has impacted me for many years and will continue to do so throughout my life. My birthday wish is to, like them, be able in some way to give back and help others along their journey through life.