Word-Of-the-Week #725: Impact
June 28, 2018 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #725: Impact
Impact – having a strong effect on, influence.
Have you had an influence on anyone at work? Who have you had a strong effect on in your personal life? How important is it to you to leave a legacy?
This is part 3 of the Scott Mautz article, “Now That I’m 50, Here’s What I’ve Learned About Achieving Success That Escaped Me at 25. Hitting the big fifty requires reflection almost as a duty. So I focused mine on what I’ve learned about success since being half my current age.”
To recap he wrote, ““I like writing about timeless lessons for success or key behaviors that lead to success. I’ve even written about famous failures that will inspire you to success. But nothing has spurned a more introspective look at achieving success than my turning a half-century old. (Ugh, it hurts to even write those words). I now realize how much I’ve learned compared to when I was half my age.
- You own your career.
- Meaning starts with “me.”
- Seek authenticity, not approval.
- Know that your definition of success will change.
- Zap, don’t sap.
- Character reveals itself in times of crisis.
- Lift as you climb.
- The only comparison that matters is to who you were yesterday.
- The biggest risk you can take is not taking any risk.
The Navy’s first female Rear Admiral, Grace Murray Hopper, once said “Ships in port are safe. But that’s not what ships are made for.” I’ve so often seen that success depends on the willingness to take risks, learn from them, and keep moving forward.
- Actually, there is a substitute for hard work.
And that substitute is consistent, relentless, hard work (sorry I tricked you there). There’s no other way to success. Period. And when you throw in dashes of patience and resilience and cook it all in the oven of life, you get fresh-baked fortitude.
I’ll place my bet on someone with fortitude over a “quick-path-to-success-plan” every single time.
- Leave politics for the politicians.
Do your job to the best of your ability and leave the politics for those with less ability. Sometimes, yes, politics will pay off for someone else in their career. But not over the long run–karma is a you-know-what. And do you want to advance in that fashion anyway?
- Leave a legacy.
I’ve been successful in many roles in my career because I started with the mindset of, “How am I going to leave a legacy in my time during this role? What will be my immutable impact?” So before you dive in and start executing in your next role, ask this of yourself first.
- My hope is that each of these lessons looking back helps you moving forward.
Now, where did I put my vinyl of Pearl Jam’s Ten?”
This week’s focus is on impact. Are you willing to take a risk? Would you say you work hard and do your best every day? What immutable impact do you want to be remembered for?
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