| In 1940, Albert E.N. Gray delivered a speech at the National Association of Life Underwriters annual convention entitled “The Common Denominator of Success.” Albert spent 30 years with Prudential Insurance as an agent in the field and then as an instructor in sales development.
Albert proposed that the secret of success is forming the habit of doing things that others don’t like to do. He argued that successful people drive toward an outcome, while others choose comfort or ease. Olympic athletes illustrate this concept. Their commitment to greatness consistently overrides any feelings of disinclination or discontent. My favorite line in Albert’s speech is, “Habits form futures. If you do not deliberately form good habits, then unconsciously you will form bad ones.” For example, when I’m working on ambitious goals, like cycling across the country or writing a book, I lean into good habits. I wake up at 5 am to train or write. I drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods, and eliminate time wasters from my routine. But when my ambition is not on a mission, I quickly make excuses: “I’m tired. I deserve to relax. It’s too cold. It’s too hot. I’m too busy.” Further in Albert’s speech, he said, “You are the kind of man you are because you have formed the habit of being that kind of man.” In other words, you have the results you have because of the habits you maintain. So, if you desire different results, adopt different habits. What kind of habits? That depends on the results you want. Perhaps:
The key to taking action is the hunger for a different result. If you are happy with the results in your life, then congratulations! You have suitable habits! But if you desire different results, then you need different habits. Because your habits create your future. © 2021. Ann Tardy and Mentor Lead. www.mentorlead.com |