Lesson from a 6 Year Old

Our middle child, Carter, has an incredibly valuable lesson he can teach all professionals.  It's the lesson of mastery.

You see, Carter is a passionate movie lover.  He completely and totally immerses himself in the experience; acting out the scenes of the characters, reciting the lines as they happen and mimicking every move the actors make.  Its as if he's apart of the movie.  As proud parents, it's so amazing to watch him in action.

I asked him why he does it.  His answer was simple.  "I want to be just like them, so I pretend and do what they do."

How profoundly intelligent of a six year old.  That begs the question, if a 6 year old can master a character, why don't adults do the same thing?

As professionals, many people have already paid the price and achieved great success in every profession.  So what can we learn from a child watching movies and pretending to be the main character?

Well if you want the same results as someone else, here's my recommendation:

• seek out who is the absolute most successful in your chosen field
• find a way to connect with them - use LinkedIn, facebook, their website, their blog, seminar, event, anything that puts you in their line of sight.  There's always a way if you're determined.
• Be humble and ask for their guidance or mentorship
• Buy them breakfast, lunch, a cup of coffee, or pay them for an hour of their time and pick their brain
• Create an outline to implement what you've learned - they have a success plan, use it
• copy and emulate them - drink what the drink, eat what the eat, model their behaviors and actions, plan the way they plan, prospect the way the prospect, and so on - whatever it is for your profession

If they can do it, heck if a six year old can do it, so can you.  Commit to mastery.  It's not hard if your passionate about your profession.  It's serious fun, and nets you serious results!