"Be the CEO of your own life. Raise hell. Let the chips fall where they may. It'll never be easier to change jobs than it is today." -Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone
I am reading a book right now, correction, I am listening to a book on Audible that I am IN LOVE with! I sent out a tweet two weeks ago asking a few of my friends (Tamara McCleary and Amy Schmittauer) if they had any books they love, I had just gotten through my last round of recommended reading and wanted a fresh idea. The reply came back, Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi, and Tamara chimed in that he is in fact the real deal, good guy. I promptly downloaded and got to listening. I have a habit of listening to books and podcasts audibly each morning while I workout, I totally recommend this method of intaking information. So, the book, I can not believe I didn't know about it sooner! I am a long time fan of "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie and my experience of Farazzi's book is it reads like a current day catch up, expanded version of Carnegie's classic! Hats off to you Keith, love the message.
I want to share what I was listening to yesterday during my morning workout because this concept is one that radically shook up my life up a few years ago and I appreciated that Keith wrote about this idea. I wish I could remember who told me this, or if i woke up thinking it, but here is what happened. I connected the dots between how my life was going and the passive or active way I was approaching my circumstances. Practically: I needed to "promote myself" or begin behaving to the level I was wanting to achieve, I needed to be the CEO of my own life.
If my life is going anything other than how I would like it to be, the only person to blame is me! If I don't LIKE the way something is going, I need to handle that circumstance as if I was the CEO of my company, as Keith puts it "me inc."
Once this message began to click for me, I realized if I was not happy with a doctor, practitioner or even fair weather friend, in my life, I need to fire them! And find someone that did align with what I was wanting. The idea of being the CEO of my own life is that of taking charge of what I want in my personal life and seeing all of my encounters as opportunities to make decisions that align with my greater purpose.
Yesterday, when I was listening to what Keith had to say on the topic and reflecting about my own experiences, it is most relevant to share a few of Keith's tips that were also my experiences.
Here are two places to start when you do decide to promote yourself to CEO!
Do not ask for permission, you do not need anyone to say it's OK to take charge of your life, it is actually entirely up to you and if you do not take charge, do not be mad when nothing happens. It is my observation that it can be very easy to sit back and wait for things to happen for you without taking action. Good things don't come easy, lots of people say, I like to think that my willingness to put in the effort is what matters most, and if I want something, my energy towards that goal is what usually determines what happens. My willingness to grab the steering will, put my foot on the gas pedal and GO without waiting for someone to say "the light is green" is what allows for my success. We all have something to share that is valuable, so, green means go! Go start telling people how you can help them.
“To become a brand, you’ve got to become relentlessly focused on what you do that adds value. I promise you can add value to whatever job you’re doing now.””
The truth is, perception is reality ,what you project is how people will perceive you. Knowing that, how do you want to represent yourself? I think what Keith says really sums it up.
“Lets be real, image counts, so whatever your look, take time to think it through. What is your appearance telegraphing to others? There is one general, overarching caveat in this step: stand out! Style matters. Whether you like it or not, clothing, letterheads, hairstyles, business cards, office space and conversational style are noticed- big time. The design of your brand is critical.”
In order to promote yourself to the CEO of your own life, the requirement is a genuine desire to be responsible for what happens in your life. Passive measures do not yield great results in my life and when i am actively engaged and putting effort into my dreams, they in-fact do come true.
Have you read the book? Never eat alone? Please send me a note, I would love to have a conversation (virtual book club call) with you about your findings and compare notes! click here to connect
Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter@LindseyRainH2O