A “don’t” list of traits…

I think a lot about the traits I admire most – integrity, work ethic, respect, and positivity are just a few. But recently, I thought of the traits that “trigger” me the most. Not surprisingly, they are mostly opposites of what I look for.

For example, if someone is not honest or if they only tell half truths to mislead/deceive people, I immediately feel that I can’t trust them. How do I know they won’t cover up the actual truth just to look good? Or that they won’t tell me something so they can gain/profit from it?

When I see lazy people (employed or not), I don’t want to associate with them. Whether they are lazy when it comes to their work habits, taking care of themselves, etc…I often find that it carries over into other parts of their lives too.

When I see people who are consistently rude, I don’t want to associate with them. Often times they say it’s sarcasm or that they’re telling it like it is, but I feel that’s just an excuse. There’s usually a better way to get your point across.

And when I see people who are always negative, often they’ll call them realists. But what you think, your life will become. It’s almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You’re not even giving yourself a chance if you’re not optimistic/positive. A lot of people will think you’re crazy if you have high goals and high expectations. I think that maybe they just set the bar too low and settle for mediocrity.

What’s on your list of traits to avoid?

Strive to be the captain, not the MVP.

Strive to be the captain of your team, not the MVP.
“If everyone would strive to be captain of their team as opposed to the MVP, there would be a lot better teams.” – Derek Jones

“If everyone would strive to be captain of their team as opposed to the MVP, there would be a lot better teams.”

How true is this? Instead of trying to be the superstar, trying to be the center of attention, trying to go viral, trying to produce highlight reels, trying to get recognition from others…just work on being the best teammate you can be.

Respect others, care for them, and do things the right way. Everything you do, do intentionally. Take pride in your work. Share credit with your teammates and take accountability for your faults. Be positive. Communicate clearly to those you work with. Always try to improve – not just yourself, but your team as well. The more you can be a team player, even if that means that you lose out on some of the glory, the better your team success will be.

Calling all entrepreneurs!

Don’t underestimate the value of having a good team!
Don’t underestimate the value of having a good team!

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” – African proverb

It’s easier to do things by yourself. You can trust that you’ll “do things right.” Training others can be time consuming and stressful, but if you’re not willing to let go of the $10/hour tasks so that you can focus on the $1,000/hour tasks, you will cap your upside. We only have so much time in the day…

It’s perfectly fine to try to do things on your own. But to make the biggest possible impact, you’re going to need a great team around you.

Tomorrow is a new day

Finish each day and be done with it…tomorrow is a new day.
“Finish each day and be done with it…tomorrow is a new day.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

At the end of the day, you might have some regrets about what you did or didn’t do or what you said or didn’t say, but you have to let it go.

You can’t change that anymore.

The best thing you can do is to move on. If you feel bad about something, apologize or do something to make it right – don’t dwell on things you can’t change.