The most influential people in the world that have the staying power over the course of their lives stand out to us because they are willing to do what few others are willing to do themselves. It’s not that they have some secret formula or magic potion that no one else has. It’s that they implement the fourth step in this series on becoming a transformational leader.
What is it? It’s simpler than you think, but not necessarily easy to implement.
In the first article of this series, I discussed that we must first CHOOSE what we want and what we need to do in order to achieve our desired outcomes.
In the second article, I discussed that it’s not enough to simply choose, but we must ACT on the choices we make. If we don’t, they’ll just stay in our minds as nice ideas.
In the third article, I shared that when you consistently make choices and intentionally take action, you BECOME a new, better version of yourself, which then leads your team and organization to become better.
Today, let’s look at the final step of this 4-step process…
Step #4 – REPEAT
When you read the label on shampoo bottles, you’ll often find in the instructions to “apply, rinse, and repeat.” Beyond wanting you to use twice as much shampoo to increase their sales, the manufacturers are giving specific instructions to help you achieve optimal results with their product.
Leadership development is significantly different than washing your hair, but there is a similarity in the “apply, rinse, and repeat” action steps. When you learn to consistently make quality choices and act on them intentionally, you become better and different. The “flywheel effect” kicks in when you repeat this pattern consistently. What starts out feeling hard becomes easier and easier over time as you develop personal growth habits.
Choose. Act. Become. REPEAT.
Choose. Act. Become. REPEAT.
Choose. Act. Become. REPEAT.
When I was 20 years old, I discovered my first leadership book. I was given Becoming a Person of Influence by John C. Maxwell at the end of an internship by a volunteer who I had worked with closely for 7 months. In it, she wrote a nice message, but one understatement she made was in saying that she hoped the book would help me in “some small way.”
Little did she know that this one book would be the first domino that would impact the rest of my life.
The reason you’re reading this article is that she gave me that book. She made a choice and acted upon it. That changed my life forever.
I read that book and acted upon what I learned from it. This led me to search for more books like it and become a growing leader who is committed to personal growth until the day I die.
Our choices contain great power IF acted upon.
Our actions lead us to become better people and leaders IF we are intentional.
But it’s important to understand that “becoming” shouldn’t be a one-time event. Rather, when you reach a new level of growth, it’s time to repeat the cycle: CHOOSE – ACT – BECOME.
When you implement this cycle REPEATEDLY you’ll begin to experience the compound effect of personal growth which leads to exponential results.
CHOOSE. ACT. BECOME. REPEAT.
If you’re tempted to think this is an oversimplification, I challenge you to think about how the best artists and athletes in the world arrive at their status.
Go to a professional sports arena or field and watch the players before their games. You’ll find them doing the same warm-ups and drills that children do when they first begin playing.
Go to a theatre and watch how musicians and singers warm up before each performance, which they’ve been doing since they began their careers.
Gary Keller, founder of the real estate empire Keller Williams once stated, “Success is sequential, not simultaneous.” What he was saying is that you become successful in any endeavor one building block at a time. If you skip a step, you’ll cause your foundation to weaken and potentially crumble.
CHOOSE. ACT. BECOME. REPEAT.
You can’t achieve incredible results if you don’t choose wisely.
You won’t become better as a leader (or person) if you don’t act on your choices.
You won’t maintain your influence and increase your impact over the long haul if you don’t repeat the cycle consistently. You’ll stagnate, plateau, and begin to drift backward.
CHOOSE. ACT. BECOME. REPEAT.
Imagine placing these four simple words on your desk or creating a phone screen image as a reminder.
Imagine working through this 4-step process consistently over the course of a year and looking back to barely recognize yourself because you’ve grown so much.
Imagine being the kind of leader people love to follow because they witness continual growth and drive to become better every day.
This can be your reality when you implement the “CHOOSE. ACT. BECOME. REPEAT.” transformational cycle.
If you’re ready to exponentially increase your leadership skills and impact, CLICK HERE to learn how to join the next Magnetic Leadership Accelerator group coaching program!
