How to Reach Your Big Potential – By helping others get what they want

 In Better Life, Focusing on the positive

You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want. – Zig Ziglar. 

It’s been strange how many times this idea has shown up in recent books and articles I’ve been reading!  For example, Shaw Achor’s latest book, Big Potential, talks about new studies from neuroscience and psychology that show how our potential is more than just our individual talents and effort. It’s more accurately determined by how we complement, contribute to, and benefit from the abilities and achievements of people around us.

I love this! It’s really about having an abundance mindset where we lift ourselves up by lifting up those around us. This is in contrast to a competitive, scarcity mindset where we need to better ourselves at the expense of others because there’s only so much business, good grades, success, and happiness in the world.

Based on his research and experience, Shawn recommends 5 ideas to create Big Potential in our lives. Using the acronym SEEDS, they are –

  • SURROUND yourself with a star system – those people who lift you up and bring out your best.
  • EXPAND your power by empowering others. Helping others reach their potential benefits you in the long-term.
  • ENHANCE your resources by becoming a Prism of Praise – spread your praise wider to include the team and journey that made the success possible, rather than just one person.
  • DEFEND your system against negative attacks. Build your positivity using strategies like gratitude, learning from mistakes, and seeing challenges as opportunities.
  • SUSTAIN your gains by fueling the Virtuous Cycle. Visualize a brighter future and celebrate wins.

I’m grateful for the special people in my life who are living examples of this phenomenon and who inspire me to keep building my abundance mindset.

What steps could you take this week to add one or more of these SEEDS to your life? Who can you help to grow, learn, and succeed in their lives?

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