“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” – Mike Tyson
The more people you can relate to, the more information you will gain through osmosis – which, in turn, will help you grow personally, financially, and in your career.
It’s truly amazing how open we can be when we start something, at a time when we don’t know any better than what we learned through trial and error at that time.
Here’s where we can get into trouble:
Once we learn from someone or something (or in the worst case, settle for a job or relationship) we can get into our “comfort” zone of anxiety-riddled solitude and become unaware that we are literally lost in potential – and happiness is something that seems far, far away.
Most of us want the same things: Respect, fairness, appreciation – and most importantly – we want to live life on our terms, without judgement.
To truly have an open mind in business and in any relationship, we need to see past perceptions from what we think we know to what we can continuously learn. Learning from different people, all genders, race, job positions, income classes.
The more people and situations you can relate with, the more information you will absorb and the more you will be open to learning and problem solving, which is essentially the true meaning of evolution and achievement.
Ask yourself if you feel walled in – for example, as applied to a job or career. Most people feel dependent and controlled by the need to be employed, which is important, but we easily become imprisoned by what we have to do versus what we want to do. We let that build into a wall, which is a dangerous initial stage of having a closed mind.
So what does this have to do with success and drive?
Once you think you are stuck, the opportunity to excel and be an invaluable resource becomes stricken by conformity, and you can become a high risk of being over-managed, opposed to you leading by example and feeling empowered.
Let’s go back to being “walled in” which can be mistaken for strength and a sense of self. This can divide us from seeing how we come across, or hold us back from thinking that we can’t achieve greatness. This also divides us from seeing the other side of what other people’s responsibilities are, which creates the wall. Embracing people and technology is as important as ever. As job roles continue to change, trends are becoming more essential to have a proactive view.
What decreases drive?
The “inner wall” of a closed mind breaks down one’s engine, smothering excitement and energy, which decreases initiation, activity and learning – all of which are needed to excel in business and in life.
If you learn more by researching, give more than is asked, and organize yourself better, your new actions will turn into small victories. This is the beginning of gaining control and the momentum of living your life with an open mind and drive.
Lastly, if you are always looking for something to make you happy on the outside then you are depending on something that is not your greatest resource – which is you.
– Tim S. Marshall
