So tonight I think I figured it out.
The key to the universe in your job…in your business…in your life.
Seriously.
It’s simple, but it sure ain’t easy.
In fact, I’m not sure you can do it…
(I’m not sure I can, either.)
I think it is reserved for the few that are:
- Ethical
- Talented
- Brave
- And, really…all three!
Here it is…
It comes down to two things. (That’s it! Two things!)
- Do the right thing. Always.
- Don’t be afraid of anything or anyone.
The true key? They must work in tandem.
If you always do the right thing, but you’re afraid:
Afraid of consequences…afraid of higher-ups…afraid of losing something…well then, the key to the universe will be elusive. It’s not yet for you.
If you are not afraid of anything or anyone, but…
You are lacking scruples…cave in to pressure…or otherwise truly don’t know the right thing to do, well then, the key to the universe is not yet for you.
First and foremost…Do the right thing.
Always.
What I mean by this is simple.
If you have a value system, and you are good at what you do—you have any modicum of skill, experience, and passion—then you know the right thing to do in any given situation.
Think like Nike. (Just do it.)
And then…
Don’t be afraid of anything or anyone.
We all rely on something.
What’s your reliance? What makes you keep going? What makes you tick?
Is it a steady paycheck?
Approval?
That next sale?
Something else?
No matter what it is, you owe it to yourself to be driven, not afraid.
What happens if you do the right thing? (Usually, nothing bad.)
What happens if you lose your job? (You find another one…or something better.)
What happens if no one notices? (Eventually someone does.)
What happens if you lose to the competition? (As long as you do the right thing, there will be many more wins.)
What happens if you always worry about what is going to happen?
If you are good at what you do, and you do what you believe is the right thing, then you have nothing to worry about.
- Will you learn as you go what the right thing truly is? Yes.
- Will you learn as you go that there is nothing to be afraid of? Yes.
In short (and I am somewhat paraphrasing here):
Do the right thing. Always. AND…
Have the guts to do the right thing. Always.
This post originally appeared on LinkedIn.
— — —
Zach Messler is a writer and communicator with “…an uncanny instinct for the right thing to say and how to say it.”
Once he deliberately chose to ignore his inner nay-sayer, do the right thing and ignore fear? THAT is the moment he truly broke out. THAT is when he began to thrive.
He does not always type in the third person.