Martial Arts Professional Magazine

With the passing of every New Year, you must understand the magnitude of social and economic changes in the world. In the past, change in business and social life was incremental and a set of personal strategies for achieving excellence was not required. Today, in our knowledge-based world, where change is the rule, a set of personal strategies is essential for success, even survival.

Never again will you be able to go to your place of business on autopilot, comfortable and secure that the company or organization will provide for and look after you. Look in the mirror and ask who is responsible for your success or failure. You must become a lifelong learner and leader; for, to be a follower is to fall hopelessly behind the pace of progress. The power brokers in the new global arena will be the knowledge facilitators. Ignorance will be even more the tyrant and enslaver than in the past.

As you look in the mirror, you will see another image. It is your competition. Your competition will be a hungry immigrant with a wireless, hand-held, digital assistant. He or she will be hungry for food, a home, a new car, security, a college education – and knowledge. Your competitors will be smart, quick thinking, skilled and willing to do anything necessary to succeed. They will be willing to work long hours and Saturdays, stay open later and serve customers better and more cheerfully. To be a player in the 21st century, you must be willing to give more in service than you receive in payment. These are the new rules in the game of life. These are the actions you must take to be a leader and a winner in your personal and professional life. By mastering these profoundly simple action steps, you will be positioned to be a change master during the new century.

Action Step Number #1 - Consider You Self-Employed, But Be a Team Player.

You are your chief executive officer of your future. Start thinking of yourself as a service company with a single employee. You’re a small company that puts your services to work for a larger company. Tomorrow you may sell those services to a different organization, but that doesn’t mean you’re any less loyal to your current employer. Taking responsibility for yourself in this way does mean that you never equate your personal long-term interests with your employer’s.

You don’t want to suffer the fate of those who lost their jobs and found their skills were obsolete; therefore, begin immediately to protect yourself against that possibility – by becoming proactive, instead of reactive. Ask yourself these questions: How vulnerable am I? What trends must I watch? What information must I gain? What knowledge do I lack?

Start a training department in your mind and make certain your top employee (you) is updating his or her skills. Make sure you maintain a private pension plan, knowing that you are responsible for your financial security. Entrusting the government or an employer with your retirement income is like hiring a compulsive gambler as your accountant. You’re the CEO of your daily life. You must have the vision to set your goals and allocate your resources. You must be responsible for your future, much the same as the self-employed. Today’s typical employees are no longer one-career people. Most will have five separate careers during their lifetimes.

Action Step Number #2 - Be Flexible in the Face of Daily Surprises.

We live in a time-starved, overstressed and violent society. Much of our over-reaction to what happens to us every day is a result of our self-indulgent value system, where we blame others for our problems, look to organizations or the government for our solutions, thirst for immediate sensual gratification and believe we should have privileges without responsibilities. This condition is manifested in the high crime rate and the increase in violence in the workplace where employees blame their managers for threatening their security.

I have learned how to be flexible in the face of daily surprises, which is one of the most important action traits for a leader. I really haven’t been angry for approximately 17 years. During that time, no one has tried to physically harm anyone close to me or me. I’ve learned to adapt to the stresses of life and reserve my fear or anger for imminently, physically dangerous situations. I rarely, if ever, become upset with what people say, do or don’t do, even if it inconveniences me. I do react emotionally when I see someone physically or emotionally abusing or victimizing another; but I’ve learned not to sweat the small stuff.

The Serenity Prayer, “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference,” is a valuable measuring tool we can apply to our lives.