Have you ever wondered why some people who have obviously attained a pinnacle status in their professional lives still feel dwarfed and unfulfilled? As difficult as that is to understand, statistics have proven that some of the most highly successful corporate executives are confessing desperation for a greater fulfillment.
Take yourself for example: Your interest in reading this article was triggered by the caption – A Higher Calling. And although your initial intent was to browse instead of read, you realize that your interest is now fully sparked. You are squirming with conviction! Here you are, male, perhaps married or single, with the reputation and status of a successful executive, yet desperate for greater fulfillment. As you read, you are frantically trying to equate the caption with your present interest while at the same time wondering, what is your Higher Calling?
What you do know is, your professional history is unmarred by failure, but you are itchy to investigate the unchallenged areas you have never tested. Now, you are giving yourself permission to take on the dare of entering the ‘unknown’ both professionally and relationally, knowing you could be at risk of experiencing failure in your pursuit. As brave and insightful as it is to explore the unknown, you are aware that you’re at the crossroad juncture of your life, just not sure where to start. Welcome to the reality countless individuals like you are facing the same challenge. You've all been so successful that you have no experience at failing.
I invite you to investigate the effectiveness of the list of incentives below and see how they will impact your perspective on resisting failure. This list will give you profound insight into your sense of reasoning and will successfully convince you failure is the most powerful force in success. You will begin to recognize your present void stems from a huge absence of pressure to go beyond what comes easy for you. You will begin to see cowardice rather than courage in anyone who refuses to face the test of the unfamiliar or unknown, simply because there’s a risk of not succeeding the first time and having to learn how to make it work.
You will see that learning is comprised of the process of taking what’s not easy to the point of perfection.
1. Initiator
Are you passionate about initiating something you believe in yet clueless about where to start? The first and most sensible point would be deciding what you want your finished product to look like before you even start. Comparable best practices will confirm that the following points will empower your initiation process and give you a clear vision of a successful result. Make a list of objectives that include – Why – What – Who
- The ‘Why’ must cover relevance and effectiveness (need & productivity)
- The ‘What’ should address time element and people resource (input & output)
- The ‘Who’ must identify your target audience or community (demographics)
2. Risk Taker
Are you willing to be a pioneer but your desire to step out in confidence on new grounds and make a difference is paralyzed by fear, fear of possible rejection and failure? The sincerity of your intention and the test of your capability should be established beforehand. This process will provide the motivation to boldly approach your plan with confidence and overcome the fear.
- Research the history and patterns of previous or similar endeavors (pros & cons)
- Create a list of obstacles and assets that will be a realistic part of the development process
- Do an in-depth inquiry on legal prerequisites necessary (protocols + policies)
3. Delegator
Have you recognized the necessity to outsource or delegate areas of your aspiring project but fearful of admitting that you will need the help of others to make your project work? This very important awareness could be the determining factor in the success or possible failure of the most brilliant plan. However, once addressed and overcome, success is attainable –
- Make a list of resources that will be necessary to facilitate the success of your project (finances, skill set, equipment)
- Create an assessment document of what you can realistically invest in resourcing the project
- Outline a recruiting process to equip and facilitate what else is needed to fully resource the project
The ideal would be after recognizing that these powerful incentives can be used as effective tools in attaining your ‘Higher Calling’, you would take the dare and reach beyond your plateau of success to a mountain of possibilities. It’s a hard challenge but you have already given yourself permission to take the dare.
Now you know that failure is not an obstacle, it’s the power source to success.
