The goal is to live a life of meaning and significance. Its tough stepping out of your comfort zone, putting yourslef out there for all to see, for all to critique and to judge. I do believe there are those out there that will judge us, there are those who will have negitive thoughts, comments, and even those who want you to fail.

While there are those out there with that mindset, the worst of those naysayers reside in your own mind. That voice in your head that says you’ll never make it, I dont deserve that promotion, I dont have the education, Im not worthy, no one will listen to me, you know that voice. The negative self talk that is the biggest contributor to what holds us back.

We can often be our own worst enemy. I know I am my worst critic and can be really tough on myself, you ever feel that way? I believe being tough on myself and setting high expactations for myself is in large part why Ive had some level of success. While I have to reflect and be grateful for how far Ive come, I know I have barely scrathed the surface of my potential. I know there are many that would love to be in my position and enjoy the income level I am at. But I know I was meant to do, be, and achieve, so much more. I dont think I am any better than others but I believe I am here to achieve something great, something meaningful, something significant. I think you are too.

I believe it our responsibility and our duty to improve ourselves, to be the best version of ourselves, and produce. Produce in terms of being the best spouse, parent, and provider you can be. Produce in your work whether it be the best employee, business business leader, or busness owner. The goal is to be the absolute best you, that you can be.

All to often and to many are confortable being average, its easy being mediocre never putting your gifts, talents, and potential on the line. With this average mindset you’ll never achieve anything great, nothing meaningful, and nothing of significance. Thats not who I want to be. How about you?

I want to leave a legacy here for my family. I want to leave proof that I was here on earth long after I am gone. For this reason I will fight through the negative thoughts. I will push through when it seems no ground is being made. I will push back against the naysayers, I wont let those who won’t tell me I cant. I challenge you to do the same. Why not you? Dare to step away from the average and pursue meaning and significance.

I dont care where you come from, what your background is, your past does not dictate your future. You have probably heard that before but its not just a saying, it’s a fact. We have to own where we’ve come from, the decisions we’ve made, and the actions either taken or not taken to land us where we are now.

While we do have to own up to the truth that where we are in life right now in our careers, finances, or relationships, we are here because of the decisions and actions we have made or taken to date. There is no way to change that fact. You must own this truth. The ability to control your future lies in this understanding.

Once you own the fact that you and you alone are responsible for where you are you can start the process of getting to where you want to go, to becoming who and what you want to be. Believing and understanding that the choices we make and the action we take sets us on a course to achieve our goals.

Step One

The first step to making the change or improvement is to understand exactly what you want, what you want to become, what you value most. Whether it be career advancement, starting or improving a business, your health and fitness, or relational goals, you must choose what is most important to you. You must set the target, you must set the gaols. Without goals you are wandering blindly like most.

Step Two

Once you know what the targets are, now you must make the plan to hit the mark. For each of your goals plot out a course of action with milestones, 6 months out, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years out. You must set the long term big picture of your future 3 to 5 years out. The goals and action plan must be written out on paper, I prefer paper over an electronic device. Call me old school but I think there’s more of a connection to the goal made when you think it and write it out. We have to review these goals everday, out of site out of mind right. Read your goals twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night works best.

Step Three

Action, action is the key to any achievment. This is where most fail. Many people dream but without consistent action even when its tough, even when you have setbacks, even when it feels better to sit back and relax, action brings dreams to reality. The ability to keep pushing through setbacks and struggle doing what is required to achieve the goal is what separates winners and loser, successful and unseccessful, average and greatness.

You want to be a leader at your job or industry, make more income, or have great relationships? Own where you are and how you got there, then make new and better decisions. Set the goals and write them down. Now take the consistent action needed, whatever it is that is required for how ever long its required. Success and happiness is often diguised as hard work, do the work.

 High achievers set their bar high to rise above the mediocre.

Its easy to do the bare minimum, and most do.    I tell my boys this all the time.  It is easy to get ahead and stand out from the crowd because the bar for so many is set so low.  The bar is low and many make no attempt to rise above it.  All you have to do is put some effort in wanting to be better and wanting to achieve at a higher level. High achievers know that personal development is essential in distinguishing themselves from the crowd.  The key lies in what the Great Jim Rohn jimrohn.com/  said, “work harder on yourself than you do on your job, working hard at your job can make you a great living, working hard on yourself can make you a fortune”.

Now Mr. Rohn didn’t mean didn’t mean be a slacker at work.  You still need to produce and bring value to what ever task you are performing.  If the task is your job then bring the greatest value you can to it.  Many believe if they just show up that’s enough. True achievers and people who are at the top of their fields no that is the bare minimum.  High achievers know that while they bring value to their jobs they are continually improving themselves, they are on ferocious pursuit of their own greatness, to make themselves more valuable.                     

The Pursuit of personal development and self education

I’m going to use the construction industry below as an example as this is my background.  Having said that this lesson applies to anyone in any field who wants to do more, be more, and achieve more in any field, discipline, or life in general.

The pursuit of personal development and self education is one that is lifelong that should be never ending. High achievers who understand the need and have the desire to continue learning and sharpening their skills will always rise to the top of any field.  The construction industry is no different.

It is imperative for todays Superintendents (or anyone) to continue to learn, train, and study all the different trades and disciplines involved with construction. Means and methods of building are evolving every day. A Superintendent who is not on a continues mission to learn and understand what his subcontractors are doing on his site will in some form or another cost the project time, money, and a lot of stress.

What if you picked a subject, a trade, or discipline and for 90 days you studied that discipline. For example for 90 days if you were to study concrete, what the different mixes are, what different additives do and how they impact the placement and finishing of concrete. After that 90 days you would know exactly what your subcontractor is doing, why they are doing it, and most importantly you’ll know if it is being done correctly.

Separate yourself from the crowd.

If you were to apply this self determined training in your career, whether it be construction, Accountant, or Web Developer you with out a doubt will stand above the mediocrity. When you continue to improve your self and stand above the crowd rewards follow, money, acknowledgment, and options.   Stand above the crowd, as I often say, anyone can do the bare minimum and most do.    Rise above mediocrity.

 

 

I am on a mission create the life of my dreams and to stretch the limits of my God given talents and potential.    We’ve been given the beautiful gift of life and it is our responsibility and duty to maximize our full potential and live life to the fullest.

I ask you to join me,  step out of your comfort zone once and for all.  Our past does not have to dictate our future.  For our future will be what ever we make of it.  Decide what it is that is important to you, what you really want to do, be, and achieve. Then create your plan, your blue print if you will, and then take action every day towards your dream.

I am creating the life of my dreams, building a legacy , and I am on a mission to help as many as I can do the same.

Join Me

Carl V. Shields

When I am done here I want to leave proof I was here