Only effort is required.
“1. Show up on time.
Tell the truth.
Do what you say you’ll do.
Work hard.
Own your mistakes.
Learn.
Adapt.
Grow.
Be gratuitous.
Say Thank you.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
Getting ahead isn’t hard.
While brain surgery is a distinguished skill, rarely does it take the mind of a brain surgeon to get ahead.
Typically speaking, getting ahead is actually pretty easy, it just isn’t flashy. It’s fundamental, and boy have we gotten away from the fundamentals.
1) Show up on time. That’s it. No literally that’s the whole thing. Do it.
2) Tell the truth. There is a premium on truth and loyalty in today’s world where social media is wreaking havoc on our perceptions and relationships. Just tell the truth.
3) Do what you say you’ll do. If you give your word, follow through on it. Especially when you feel like you can get away without it. Integrity is internal.
4) Work hard. There is another thing that is a massive premium in 2023. Do you have any idea how many people simply don’t work hard? Millions. Want to get ahead, simply work hard. Work smarter not harder is turning into bad advice these days because people don’t even know what hard work looks like.
5) Own your mistakes. There is nothing wrong with being wrong. It’s part of the game. There is something wrong with consistently deferring blame. Own your mistakes and move on. Do your best not to repeat them. Novel concept, I know.
6) Learn. Learning doesn’t have to take place in the school hall, either. In fact, education is much different than schooling. Read great books. Learn from people who are where you want to go.
7) Adapt. Adapting, while isn’t hard does require some skill. And that skill is the reframing of your mindset. Understanding that you’re not always right and things regularly change is a super power. Adapt or die isn’t just a cute saying. It’s reality.
8) Grow. That’s the whole point of this. If you follow 1-7, you essentially make ‘not growing’ impossible. Growth is key to getting ahead, especially in a world of people who are staying right where they’re at.
9) Be gratuitous. Share your story with others. Encourage. Bring others with you. There is plenty to go around.
10) Say Thank You. Do you know what a simple thank you can do to somebody’s day? And what if you say it to someone who owes YOU a thank you?
