Leaders Stay Hungry

As I write this I realize I didn’t eat lunch yet, but that’s a different subject.

There are several opinions about motivating leaders.

But I’m here to tell you that NO ONE is responsible for your growth except you.

Some companies offer career development programs, mentorship or even personal coaches.

Those are great perks, but if you’re dependent on others for your development you’re headed in the wrong direction.

For instance I participated in a Masters in Organizational Leadership program for two years.

I learned as much from my cohort as I did from any professor or class I took.

But once the program was done, I still needed to find ways to grow as a leader.

Once you realize growth is a process, not a destination you’re ready to move.

In fact, it takes self-motivation not to compare yourself to others, find creative ways to keep your mind stimulated and look for areas to improve as a leader.

It’s sort of like being an entrepreneur.

• You create your own structure.

• You define the road map.

• You hold yourself accountable for results (or lack thereof).  

The hardest part of staying motivated is realizing it’s a feeling.

And feelings are fleeting at best.

So what are some ways you can stay self-motivated to grow?

1. Surround yourself with leaders who are hungry.

2. Set goals then reverse engineer a timeline to accomplish them.

3. Evaluate the “whys” in your life consistently.

Over time if these don’t work, it’s time to be innovative.

Ultimately, leaders take ownership for their success and failures.

I’m not saying you should travel the road alone, but you have to stop making excuses for a lack of progress.

There aren’t many things you can control in life, but two of them are your effort and attitude.

If you’re goal-oriented, the temptation is to stay busy.

But the real secret to growth is developing healthy habits.

We’re not just talking nutrition and fitness (although those are key to your overall performance).

• Habits are a process.

• They take time to see results.

Yet as a coach I’ve witnessed and experienced myself setting the right habits leads to achieving your goals.

My original point to you is leaders stay hungry.

That is an insatiable desire to learn.

Some days you won’t feel like it.

Some days it’s important to rest.

But if you look at the most accomplished athletes in any sport, you’ll observe a drive that is undeniable.

I like to refer to the analogy of the corporate athlete because in the realm of sports the goal is clear: to win.

Often in business the outcome isn’t as clear, but we can borrow from the sports world by identifying what preparation tactics it takes to reach your desired result.

Staying hungry as a leader isn’t easy (no one says it is), but if you want people under your care to grow you have to lead by example.

So if you’re struggling with this, reply to this email and let’s sort it out today.

God Bless,

Scott

P.S. Besides being hungry to grow, here is something else great leaders do👇