Not Enough Room to Sit Down

"There is plenty of room at the top...the difficult part is getting out of the crowd at the bottom." 

- Zig Ziglar

I am currently reading Zig Ziglar's latest book entitled, Born to Win.Sadly, this was Ziglar's last book to write before his recent passing. This particular book is very much like the others he has written in relation to goal setting, motivation, and faith. But this book puts an emphasis on "getting to the top" that I had not noticed before in any of his other writings.

All of Ziglar's works are about getting to the top. They are filled with catchy phrases like: See you at the top! Another favorite of mine is, "You got to be before you can do and you've got to do before you can have." The phrase at the top of this post is another motivation quote from the man, himself. Ziglar is always quick to point out that getting to the top involves hard work and pushing forward constantly. The elevator to the top is out-of-order so we have to take the stairs. There is plenty of room at the top...just not enough to sit down. But Born to Win says it a little differently. 

Getting to the top is important. However, we do not get to the top by stepping on other people along the way. We get to the top by helping other people get what they want. See, when our goals and our visions are "others-centered" instead of "self-centered", we truly will not only see the top, but enjoy the benefits of being there. After reading this, I began to think of ways to put this into practice.

As you know by now, I am big on goal-setting. I believe that an unfocused energy tends to be wasted and a life that is concentrated tends to reach the direction in which it is concentrated. That being said, many of my goals revolve around what I want to learn and the kind of person that I want to be. But the actual focus comes when you measure your motivation for those goals.

For example, one of my goals for this month has been to invest in those around me. I can honestly say that this one has been the goal in which I have had the most success for the month. I have enjoyed quality time with my wife, taken family out to eat, and met up/reconnected with some old friends. All of this has taken place in the past month and have made me feel better about myself and my life than accomplishing any of the rest of my goals. 

I am still in the process of re-wording and re-thinking the rest of my goals to try and make them all "others-focused". The ultimate reason is because I strive to glorify God in everything that I do. If I spend all of my time on myself, I will not be the man that He created me to be. Service to others comes from a healthy self-image and good self-esteem. My challenge to you is to check your motivation and see the difference that focusing on others makes in your life. As always, the result is a better professional, a better human being, and a life that is more thoroughly enjoyed. Until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew