Who are the people who shape us? For Cristiano Renaldo or Serena Williams to soar to great heights and win best player of the year and 24 grand slams takes more than just practice.
I absolutely believe in what Garry Player said “The harder I practice the better I get”, but to excel to the levels where these sportsmen and women have gone, takes a lot more than just practice.
Cristiano has surrounded himself with the best coaches to help him excel not only in the field of skill on the football field, but he has someone who daily advises and watches over his diet. Cristiano also has a sleep coach to make sure he gets adequate rest and quality deep sleep. He has someone advising him on how to handle press, how to sit, stand, move and speak. Imagine a Cristiano Renaldo who lived off fast food and partied all night. I think we all agree that he would not be the number one player if these were he had made choices.
For some reason we look at these people and accept that they need technical coaches, fitness coaches, sleeping coaches, eating coaching, behavioral coaches and more, but in business we still believe the harder I work by myself the better I will get at this.
This cannot be further from the truth
In my life, I have experienced this over and over. From a young professional life, I have been blessed with people who walked alongside me and who made a great impact and groomed me to excel in certain things. I still have them.
I have all the respect for a single mom with a house full of children and no support that makes it out there. For me it has been an absolute breeze believing in myself. I have the support of a husband who has supported my every decision, putting full trust in what I do and how I do it.
I have had the honor of having a life coach who groomed me in business and I still call him when I get stuck or when I am uncertain on handling a certain situation. He has taught me the art of gratitude and appreciating people. Before I met Carl, I think that my assumption was that everyone knew I appreciated him or her, everyone knew how I felt about his or her input. He has taught me to verbalize this.
For hours we sat and wrote future descriptions of how and where I see myself, what I want to accomplish, what I behaviors I need to change.
I remember when I told him I wanted a Porche Targa he threatened to get the Porche dealership to call me on a monthly basis to see how far I am from coming in and purchasing my new vehicle.
We need these people in our lives
I have also had friends who pushed me to go out there and enter competitions like Exporter of the year or Business Woman of the year. Becoming finalists in these events, boosted my self esteem tremendously.
Growing up, I had a family who supported me and a mother who made the ultimate sacrifices. Everything she never had, she decided her daughter would have. A university education, attending the best schools, a fairytale wedding and when I started my business she even did my bookkeeping for a few years, keeping me on the right track and controlling my cash flow.
I remember how she helped me when I started my first business selling towels from the factory in wellington to the factory workers in Epping Industria. She would drive me there and drive me to Epping, help me unpack, help me manage my accounts and she made sure I made a profit.
I recently came back from an overseas trip
On this trip was a brilliant businesswoman, she is intelligent, spoke well but her downfall is that she does not take care of herself. I am telling you this to illustrate a point. It doesn’t matter how great she is, when she walks into that meeting where people don’t know her, the only thing they see are her sloppy jeans and the fact that she is chewing gum. If only she had someone who could help her correct this behavior the outcome of her meeting would’ve been completely different.
The model of my story is that there have been at least 50 people in my short life that has helped shape who I am today. I am proud to be a result of what they invested in me.
If it is ok for a sports celebrity to get help, why are we feeling the pressure in business to appear perfect, like we know it all? What is stopping us from being vulnerable and accepting advice and help?
If I can leave you with three things today it will be the following:
- Next year on your birthday bless yourself with an enrichment course. Attend something like toastmasters or learn a new skill. Complete the course.
- Get up every morning and dress for success. Laboutaine has become a multi millionaire because he understands how women feel the minute they put on high heels.
- Take care of yourself and allow yourself to dream and have a fairytale future. Daydream about the future and go out and write that future description.
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