Winning Starts With The Inner Game

I was at dinner with a client and his family recently. We were enjoying Asian cuisine and at the end of the meal, this was the message on my fortune cookie

Every person is the creation of himself(herself), the image of his (her) own thinking and believing. - Fortune Cookie

How do you see yourself? What do you believe about you?

In my practice and studies in the martial art of Tai Chi, I explored my own self-image, my thinking, and beliefs, and I came to understand myself more completely. I came to understand that my life is the result of the choices I have made.

Your life up until this point in time, is the accumulation of your choices. Some are mundane day-to-day decisions, BUT others have significance. They have put you on a path that has led you to where you are now.

Who are you?

As a leader, what sort of leader are you? What kind of leader do you want to be?

What will be your legacy?

I'm an avid reader. Much of what I read is related to business, including the current thinking on leadership, excellence, culture, and more.

But I also read for inspiration from various sources, and yes, sometimes just for fun. And sometimes, I pull a book out of my personal collection and read it again.

The other day I began reading The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield. It's more than a just book about golf.

It's about golf (yes) but also self-awareness and finding "the authentic golf swing". The authentic swing is a metaphor for the authentic self. The authentic swing is unique to each person.

Your Authentic Leadership

Whether you play golf or not, you have an authentic leadership style that is unique only to you.

Being authentic is one of the hardest things for many leaders to master. There is so much pressure to look and act a certain way.

When I was a young executive taking on greater responsibility and more demanding leadership roles in my firm, expectations were higher. At first, I struggled to find my authentic leadership style. I had to choose. What type of leader would I be?

I drew from my past experiences and focused on what I held most valuable. I had faced many challenges throughout my life and these experiences were my inspiration for how I wanted to be as a leader.

In my recent podcast interview with Rob Brown (The Accounting Influencers Podcast), we talked about the skills leaders need to have, including authenticity, and compassion, among others. These skills can be learned if you don't feel you have them already.

Good is the enemy of great. - Jim Collins

Good vs. Great

Successful sports teams are always striving for something. Striving to get better. Striving to be a champion. They are striving to be the greatest.

Why should it be any different in your company?

To be the greatest is a lofty goal. Anything less is not good enough for the Greats. But first, they have to choose it.

The Mindset Game

Your style of leadership is a choice. The inner game of leadership is the starting point. Set yourself up for success.

Do you want to lead your company to greatness? That's a choice.

Striving to achieve mastery, and getting really good at something, is a choice.

For me, there is no other way to think. It's the act of striving to achieve something greater something meaningful that fuels my spirit.

What fuels your spirit?

Until next time

P.S. Want to know more about your leadership strengths? Get my FREE Leadership Self-Assement. You can grab it here.