My advice. Invest in yourself: Warren Buffett
Raymond Ackerman used a four legged table model to build one of South Africa’s truly great companies.
Lance Armstrong used a four legged table model to conquer cancer………
If you’re looking for a game changer , here’s a potent four- legged table model to power up your professional and personal game in 2017 – it’s a model derived solely from the collective wisdom of the great champions of life – what they know , what they do, and importantly what they do not do – to make life great.
Align and balance the four legs of the table- and you’ll find yourself firmly on the road from Good to Great to Greater in 2017.
Table Leg Number One: RESOLVE – the power of human purpose
Human greatness inhabits every one of us.
Finding out what we are great at leads us to the all important ‘’ WHY’’ in our lives – why we are put here on this planet.
And when we uncover ‘’the why’’ – our resolve automatically sky rockets.
Everything becomes possible.
We move away from seeking external motivation – to becoming internally inspired to do.
You are not here to merely make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand – Woodrow Wilson
Table Leg Number Two: KNOWLEDGE – the power of human awareness
Know what you are great at (or want to be great at) and power up your knowledge base. Focus on your one thing. Become expert.
It’s when one shares what one is expert at – that great value gets imparted on the universe.
Commonly people acquire knowledge through what is often termed ‘The School of Hard Knocks’.
Famed author , Paulo Coelho , says that the secret to life is to fall down seven times and get up eight times , but there exists a far more effective, far more efficient and far easier way to power up your human awareness levels.
Take heed
Take heed of those who have gone before – those who have achieved sustained success and significance.
Human greatness leaves footprints, and there is always someone out there willing to share what you still need to learn.
A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience – Oliver W. Holmes
Becoming a better version of yourself and sharing what you become great at, creates a ripple effect that benefits everything around you: your lifestyle, your family, your friends, your community.
Never stops learning.
When you’re green, you’re growing. When you’re ripe, you rot. – Ray Kroc
Table Leg Number Three: SUPPORT – the power of the human collective
Nothing great is ever achieved by anyone on his or her own. Simple, but true.
Great Champions build powerful inner circles of trust.
It’s tough at the top. Tough to get there and even tougher to stay there – so when the going gets tough, the great champions always ‘’ come back to the fire’’.
It’s around the fire where they Refuel, Reframe and Reboot their inner and outer game plans.
There’s something special in human beings going out of their way to help other human beings.
Choose your inner circle a carefully. Get the right support.
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with ― Jim Rohn
Table Leg Number Four: GAME PLAN – the power of human focus.
Is your current game plan made of the right stuff?
Rate your current game plan on a scale of 0-10 as per our Everest chart.
4=below average ; 5 =average ; 6=above average;
7 =Good ; 8=Great ; 9 =Greater.
One of the secrets to life is to keep climbing the mountain from Good to Great to Greater – and then play the game consistently at LEVEL NINE.
That’s what teams like the All Blacks do. It’s just more rewarding – and a lot more fun.
Those who consistently play the game at LEVEL NINE , all have one thing in common . They have high level game plans which are made of the right stuff -aligning the three potent P’s of Professional and Personal Branding : Purpose, Priority and Performance Goals.
They’re all virtuosos.
The first ‘P’ is PURPOSE.
Great individuals become greater when they become crystal clear on their higher purpose in life.
Some go on to genius .
Nelson Mandela’s purpose was ‘to create freedom for all’.
Winston Churchill’s was ‘to inspire hope’.
Bill Gate’s purpose is ‘to empower people to do more’.
Elon Musk’s purpose is ‘to elevate humanity’……… and he has only just begun .
Have a go, write your higher purpose in as few words as possible.
The second ‘P’ is setting one’s PRIORITIES right
Most people find it extremely difficult to clearly articulate their ‘BIG FIVE’ priorities in life, resulting in their lives becoming clogged with things of lesser importance.
Naturally, life will become more stressful, if one is not clear on one’s ‘BIG FIVE’ priorities. Why?
Clear priorities help one to make clear decisions –making your life far easier.
While we are all unique human beings, common patterns of priority do exist for the great champions of life.
At THE GAME PLAN we model them- so here are the common denominators which I have found in all the great champions, in hierarchical order:
No.1 YOURSELF :
Invest first and foremost in making yourself the very best person you can be – so that you can best help others.
No.2 YOUR HIGHER PURPOSE.
Invest in your professional ‘’WHY’’
No.3 YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS.
Invest in your personal ‘WHY’’
No.4 YOUR HEALTH & WEALTH.
Invest wisely here as both can easily be lost
No.5 YOUR DESIRED LIFESTYLE:
Invest to REFUEL yourself. It’s important to refuel by doing the things you love to do.
Great Champions recognize that self -interest is central to one’s human design,
but count the greatest gain as the goodwill of fellow humankind – Bob Bulford
The third ‘’P’’ is setting and aligning one’s PERFORMANCE GOALS
Keep it all simple.
Align your 2017 performance goals with you Purpose and Priorities.
Choose just three – to get the best out of your re- focused self.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistification: Leonardo da Vinci
With all four legs of your personal table aligned and balanced, it’s time to………
Take action
Make great things happen in 2017 .
Go Great
Rob Opie is a Brand Strategist, Author, Speaker, and Performance Coach to Business executives, Corporate teams, Sports teams and Individuals.
GET IN TOUCH . robopie@thegameplan.co.za
Find out more about his game -changing PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES.
- Rob’s latest book: The Game Changers: Good to Great to Greater is available FREE to readers as an instant digital download on his site : THE GAME PLAN
