Who do you look up to in both your business and personal life? If you could mirror someone for a day, a week, or even a month, who would that person be? Should you have the opportunity to mentor someone in order to learn and grow from that person, who would that person be? All interesting questions that only you can answer. However, I would bet that the person that you would try to emulate wouldn’t be considered lucky. I would bet that you would connect with someone who has paid the price for success. A person who is self made, and to whom nothing was given on a silver platter. Your mentor would probably be a person that had to crawl and scratch and actually work for everything they have achieved.

The person may not be the smartest individual, have the most money, or the most possessions. Rather, the person would probably have a great deal of self-respect, determination, desire, enthusiasm, self-motivation, and skill. I would even guess that if you knew this person’s complete history, there are likely to have been as many failures as successes. There have probably been many times when the person even thought that there was no hope for a better way of life. Yet they have managed to become someone that others look up to and try to emulate, truly a successful person and a successful life!

That type of success in life doesn’t simply happen; it is earned through many trials, errors, and experiences. Through never giving up and being determined to not only succeed but to exceed as well. Living that type of life is really a photograph of the big picture, isn’t it? What have you done lately to leave a legacy, to be remembered and looked up to? What will history say about you? Do something everyday that you are proud of, work to be the best you can everyday, and be someone that others will mentor in the future. Then, I am confident, you will know true success!   

Author, trainer, consultant, and speaker Brad Huisken is President of IAS Training. He publishes a free weekly newsletter called “Sales Insight.” For a free subscription or more information on training, contact IAS Training at 1-800-248-7703, info@iastraining.com or fax 303-936-9581 or visit the website at iastraining.com.

JCK