Any good entrepreneur will tell you that in your quest to reach the top, you’ll need mentors. It’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart, and one of my favorite mentors happens to be Simon Sinek – the author, motivational speaker, and leadership consultant.
I actually only heard of Simon rather recently – in 2009, when his groundbreaking book Start With Why hit the bookshelves. That was a little after the Big Recession, and my businesses were struggling. But his lessons were a great help in my recovery and in reaching the level of success I enjoy today.
Since I started following his advice, I’ve become a better entrepreneur, leader, and family man. And with this article, I hope to pay it forward by sharing with you the top three lessons I’ve learned from the great Simon Sinek.
Lesson #1: Be Patient
I’ll admit – I don’t think I’m part of the “millennial” generation, but I definitely had one of the biggest “sicknesses” plaguing that generation – impatience. I knew my goals, and I knew what I needed to do to achieve those goals… but I didn’t have the patience to do all the “blocking and tackling” those goals demanded of me.
Simon said (paraphrased): “Don’t miss the mountain for the summit. You can climb the mountain, or take a helicopter, whatever – but acknowledge the mountain and the necessity to climb it in order to reach the summit.”
Lesson #2: Master Your Mind
One of the biggest “aha moments” I got from reading and listening to Simon Sinek’s work was this: That you can actually train your mind to think and feel absolutely anything you need. In fact, I later realized we’re the only species in the known universe that can do that.
I had this breakthrough revelation when Simon said, in a recent interview, that the physical symptoms for fear and excitement are exactly the same. Since then, whenever I felt fear, I could simply take a deep breath and remind myself: “I’m not afraid – I’m excited.” And everything would go so much better for me afterward.
Lesson #3: Follow What You Believe In
Simon also introduced me to precisely why Apple was winning in its wars with Microsoft and other computer companies. It was simply because Apple was building on their belief, and then building products around them. The other computer companies were doing the age-old approach of “benefits first.” Apple truly was “thinking differently,” and it paid off.
Many of my businesses revolve around networking, and this simple mindset shift of “following what you believe in” instead of just “following the money” helped my company grow exponentially in the years that followed the Recession. And it was all because I started attracting not just customers, but raving fans who helped me build a culture around my businesses.
Bonus Lesson: Start With Why
But through it all, I believe it was Simon’s book, Start With Why, that’s had the most lasting impact on me. And I believe if you, too, simply kept in mind the reason behind your massive action, you’ll go faster and farther in life than otherwise.
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Photo/Video: YouTube/Evan Carmichael