You meet thousands of people throughout your life, but only a handful impact you in a meaningful way — and here’s the thing: Not all of them are easy to spot, so be patient and curious.
I’m very thankful for my career. I’ve owned three successful companies, and with TruMethods, I’m lucky enough to make a living by using my unique talents and passions — but how did my life turn out this way? Why am I fortunate enough to pursue my talents and impact others in a meaningful way?
I recently had a few quiet moments to reflect on my life and career. To be honest, this isn’t something I do very often; I’m much better at looking forward and chasing goals, but I felt I needed to share the lessons I’ve learned with many of you who’ve asked about my success and seek to emulate it.
I thought about the people who’d been with me during turning points in my life. I focused on the five to seven people I met at the right times and who undoubtedly influenced my decisions and my future — and here’s what I found: Not all of them were easy to spot when I first met them.
The critical people in your life aren’t always wearing neon signs. In fact, often, they hide in plain sight. The key is to learn how to recognize these individuals before they exit your life unnoticed — so how do you go about doing that?
Early on in my career, I unlocked the power of the goal-setting process, which ultimately prepared me for meeting the right people at the right times.
I remember reading “Think and Grow Rich” for the first time as a 25-year-old kid just starting out in the industry. The book’s author, Napoleon Hill, said if you have a worthy goal, put it in writing and commit your life to it. Then, the people and circumstances will enter your life to help you with your goal — and he was right.
The people I needed most at pivotal moments throughout my career found me somehow; however, setting goals wasn’t the only thing that helped me with recognizing the opportunities — and the people — in front of me.
My mindset guided me. Every day, I decided to live life with general curiosity, but, more importantly, I treated every person I met as if they’d become one of the future influences in my life.
Don’t forget to give back by making it a goal of yours to become an influencer in the lives of others whenever possible.
If you have worthy goals in writing, approach every day with a positive attitude, treat every person as if they’re important and recognize opportunity when it presents itself, the right people will find you, and you’ll be fortunate enough to pursue your talents and impact others in a meaningful way, just like me.
