Going The Extra Mile

This is one of the most important qualities of leadership for sure. It’s even more important to think about in this day and time.

How often do you feel you go the extra mile? What does “going the extra mile” mean to you? Even more importantly, what feelings did just reading that phrase generate inside of you? I mention that because even though I think that I do go the extra mile when I was writing this question to you I felt butterflies in my stomach! And I’ve done this for many years. So, there is obviously something in my past or inner soul that is stirred by this thought. Perhaps it’s the commitment that’s required because of making that statement in public. I don’t really know. I’ll have to work on it. I confess all this because I know that you might be feeling anxiety at having to even think about going the extra mile. Please, though, don’t let that stop you.

You can read about people who are successful and how they all went the extra mile. What that means is different for each person but it certainly does involve “stretching”.

To succeed you just HAVE to stretch. We’ve talked about stretching when we’ve talked about tithing. If you were having trouble stretching with tithing, you may not be ready to become a leader. Again I’m not trying to aggravate or irritate anyone but you have to be able to do what’s needed. Maybe you have to work longer or maybe you have to reach out to people in your community and help them.

A key element in going the extra mile is doing it without complaining. There is a great element of entitlement in this day and a feeling that things should be “free” or that an individual is “owed” something. You’ll have to examine your theories about that too.

When was the last time you went beyond what was expected of you? Was it something that you were able to do without even being asked? Was it something you were expected to do but you did it faster, more quickly, more thoroughly?

Tell us about it and about the thoughts and feelings you experience when writing about this.

Terrie



Decision Making – here’s two more qualities we want to focus on:

    * The habit of reaching definite and prompt decisions.
    * The habit of basing opinions on known facts instead of relying on guesswork.

Examine your ability to make decisions and make them quickly. Are you like me in my non-work life – I ruminate over and over on things – is this the right thing to do? Should I do it this way? Should I do it that way? What might happen? Etc…..

This is in complete contradiction to my work life. As an ER doctor, I have to make quick decisions and they ahve to be based on facts – but in the ER you don’t have alot of time to gather those facts. So, that’s a talent you cultivate and improve constantly.

In my other work (the military disability system) I have to be able to make quick decisions in order to keep the workload going. This, too, is based on my many years of experience doing this job.

What is your decision making process? Write down some things that you do well and some that you may not do as well as you’d like. Write down the things that are hard for you to make decisions about. What can you do to improve the process?

What can you do to make it rapid decision making a habit for you? For a week, pay attention to the decisions you have to make and how long it takes you as well as what you base those decisions on. At the end of the week decide if this has improved your process. Decide what, if anything, it has done for you?

Write it down. I have to continually emphasize that writing these things down (on paper or in the computer) will solidify them in your mind.

Let us know what’s been happening in your life. Has it seemed to move more quickly? That’s good. Has it seem improved with less anxiety.

Terrie
 

Let’s talk about a group of Leadership Qualities today:

  * Self-reliance in proportion to the scope and object of your major purpose.
 
  * Self-discipline sufficient to insure mastery of the head and the heart, and to sustain your motives   until they have been realized.

  * Persistence, based on the will to win.
 
  * A well-developed imagination, controlled and directed.

Self-reliance and self-discipline are vital to your success. This is not necessarily something we want to hear because it then means we have to take responsibility for all our thoughts and actions. Even though we teach this in New Thought, making a commitment to apply it to ourselves in our everyday life is a major undertaking. Once we’ve made that commitment it’s not a viable option to say “ah well, maybe next week when I feel more like doing it”. A commitment is a commitment and something we should take seriously – just as seriously when it comes to our own actions as when it is relative to others.

You have to learn to rely on yourself as well. You can’t get easily discouraged and just give up. You know that. But applying this is also not so easy – unless you make the commitment. This is not to say that you have to be isolated. At first glance this seems contradictory to using the mastermind alliance and also inspiring others. However, it’s not.

It means that you must have the ability to rely on yourself to get things started and to keep them going against all odds. Keep your definite major purpose at the forefront of your mind at all times. When you do that, you can’t help but rely on that inner strength.

I talked about persistence when I told you about my attempts to get into medical school. You hear people talk about the fact that many people quit just before they would have succeeded. So, if you think “this is dumb, I’m not getting anywhere”, regroup and remind yourself that although you may not be able to see your success, it really is there because you have created it in your mind and refined it to fit what YOU want!

I think that the principle about the well-developed imagination should go earlier in the list – however, who am I to argue with Napoleon Hill? He is the master (he studied success for 20 years). You have to continue to use your imagination to always refine your definite major purpose. Now, I don’t mean to change the whole thing – I mean to make tweaks and more specifics based on what is happening. You can see more about the outcome as things go along. I have to reiterate though – you are NOT to change your definite major purpose. If you’ve researched it as Mr. Hill recommends (see the many posts on this blog about it or just pick up any of his books), it really is what you ARE SUPPOSED to do in life. But as circumstances change, different aspects of it and how you go about it might change. That’s where the imagination comes in. Use it continuously. The more you imagine your outcome, the more likely you’ll be able to manifest it exactly as you envision it.

Terrie

Qualities of Leadership – Mastermind Alliance

  * A master mind alliance through which you may acquire the power to attain your definite purpose.

Do you have people you brainstorm with? Not the ones you sit around and moan and groan with but those who support you and your definite major purpose and are willing to positively point you in the correct directions and guide you with advice?

Even if you don’t have that in the real world, you can create a mastermind alliance on an imaginary basis. You can pick people from history or people in your world that you can’t ask for some reason. You can pick Lincoln, Mother Theresa, Einstein, anyone that you respect and consider to be a great leader and someone that will support you. Napoleon Hill writes about that too. He tells you to write down the qualities of those people and vow to emulate them.

For a mastermind you can imagine (yes, it’s ok to have imaginary friends) them sitting around a big table with you. You put forth your definite major purpose and tell them what you’ve worked on this week and then where you want advice, suggestions, pointers etc. Then go around the table and listen to what they tell you. If you put yourself in the proper spiritual mood they actually will “talk” to you. Try it a couple of times. Don’t just try it once and give up. You can try it with people you know – positive people- first if you want. Do this if you find it hard to believe that these famous people will interact with you.

Whether you use a mastermind of actual people or of imaginary people, it’s important to open yourself to others POSITIVE suggestions.

Try it, you’ll like it!

Let us know what happens. Comment below.

Terrie