The Chase

Back on the subject of personal growth, I've had to deal with people around me that just weren't right for growth - especially in business and I've had time to think about what it is in my opinion that makes a person likely to succeed. I'm not saying that I comply with all of these characteristics all the time, but if I did I'd be better at what I do.

Here they are:

1) Passion; if you're passionate about what you jump into, you'll pour your heart into it and find a way to make things happen.

2) Persistence; not quitting beats intelligence or skill most days. This is even easier when you're passionate.

3) Optimism; it's hard to be optimistic when it's raining shit but the winners finds opportunity in calamity.

4) Precision mayhem; plow forward and demand the impossible, wreak havoc and when the smoke clears you might not achieve exactly what you planned but you'll have achieved something audacious. Mavericks aren't mice.

5) Deep planning; there's a difference between a maverick and an idiot. Do some planning not so much to plot your course but to plot out the dangers - sometimes you gotta leap that cliff regardless of how much it's going to hurt. Go ahead and jump but don't forget, if you don't care about cash flow, you will very rapidly be ultra-fucked.

6) Relationship nurturing; no, it's not about shmoozing and having 500 people on your linkedin list. The relationships that work are those that give and take. Go out of your way to be fair and help people out when you have a chance and don't be afraid to make the calls to seal the deal. Throw somebody a bone and it will come back your way tenfold in ten years.

7) Show up; how obvious is that, but oddly enough this is a hard one especially when it's raining shit and you're sleeping on broken glass.

8) Re-seeding; how many people make a hundred grand a year and still have huge credit card debts and FA else to show for it? You'd be really lucky to grow anything substantial without spending way less than you make. The exception of course is debt service for income generating or appreciating assets. Save some money even if your folks are loaded.

That's it for now, happy holidays and good luck! Now where the hell is my god damned Zune??