Far too often, seasoned and accomplished experts feel that they automatically deserve their next success – without having earned it. Maybe history has earned them the opportunity, but the results are never guaranteed. One of the quickest ways to losing the trust of your clients, partners and your industry in general, is to lose sight of what made you good in the first place.
We can take nothing for granted and must always work with a sense of urgency and passion. If someone is giving you a chance to prove yourself, then you need to invest energy, time and skill into that opportunity. This is true even if you have been there a thousand times before.
One of the best pieces of advice that I can impart, is to work like every opportunity is your first because that level of drive will lead you to better results than senses of overconfidence or complacency. Of course, you should use your experience to guide you, but you need to dive in like you have everything to prove. In whatever field you may be in, do you remember that first big break? How there was potentially no second chance if you didn’t seize it? Channel that energy and that urgency. Use it to sustain your greatness. And if you are still on the way up, remember that each step of the way requires the same commitment.
In the fields that Anthem thrives in, the overconfident get overthrown by the ambitious. Treat every opportunity like it is your first. You will not only have better results, but will maintain respect. Every opportunity is bigger than just you, and those working with you will appreciate the approach since it involves them too.
By Chris Sinclair
Founder, The Anthem Group