The No-Victim Choice
- Expect the unexpected. Things beyond your control will happen. How you respond to the unexpected events that come your way is how you regain control.
- Look for alternatives. There are always alternatives if you choose to look for them. Don’t become paralyzed by falling into the victim trap.
- Spend your energy searching for solutions, not excuses. No matter what happens, keep moving—one foot in front of the other—toward your personal and professional goals.
The Commitment Choice
- Stay the course. If your goal is worth committing to, it is worth the price that comes with passionate commitment.
- Surround yourself with people who are equally committed—and passionate.
- Clarify your commitment. Put your goals into words, and then begin making your commitment a reality. Always be able to answer in fewer than twenty words what you want to accomplish in the next two years.
The Values Choice
- Surround yourself with people of like values, and maintain your allegiance to those values.
- Take the time to identify those who have chosen to be your enemies, and make an effort to understand why. If they are your enemies because of something you have done in the past, address the situation. If they are your enemies because of jealousy or a values clash, move forward with caution, knowing they are your enemies.
- Understand that you cannot please all the people all the time, and accept that differences in values will automatically make some people your friends and others your enemies.
The Integrity Choice
- Guard your integrity as though it were your most important possession . . . because that is exactly what it is!
- Realize that there are no time-outs with your integrity. It is also not something that can be practiced only part of the time, or only with certain people. Protecting your integrity is an all-thetime deal.
- Do the right thing. It isn’t always easy—in fact, sometimes it’s the most difficult of all options. But just remember, doing the right thing is always right.
The Do-Something Choice
- Spend more time on action and less time on thinking about what you want to do. Those who take action usually fare much better than those who are swept along by whatever life brings.
- Study successful people. What choices have they made to help them reach their level of success?
- Keep learning. Read every day. The difference between the successful and the mediocre is that the successful never stop learning.
The Persistence Choice
- When you reach roadblocks to your success, don’t give up. Rarely does anyone succeed without overcoming obstacles.
- Failure is a learning tool. Keep your eyes open to the opportunities that failure provides.
- If you want to win, you have to stay in the game. Don’t let temporary failure cause you to miss out on permanent success.
The Attitude Choice
- Consciously choose your attitude. Successful people cultivate a habit of positive enthusiasm.
- Keep your eyes open to new opportunities— even when they come from the most unexpected places. Enjoy the opportunity to succeed.
- Be easy on yourself and everyone else. We are all works in progress.
The Adversity Choice
- Realize that adversity is short term. Allow others to help you work your way through the adversity you are facing.
- Don’t panic, freeze, and stop because you perceive the adversity as insurmountable. You can respond better to crisis when you maximize your forward motion. Keep moving forward.
- Don’t waste your energy looking for someone to blame. Choose to see the positives and opportunities to grow, even in the face of adversity.
The Relationship Choice
- Focus on building positive relationships with your peers, subordinates, friends, and boss. Invest time in recognizing your professional relationships. Everyone has a basic need to know that he or she is making a difference. For those making a difference in your life, take the time to write them a note and express your appreciation for their relationship.
- Become a mentor for others. People need your counsel, advice, and wisdom, so don’t keep it to yourself.
- Don’t travel with friends who desert you at the first sign of danger.
The Criticism Choice
- Be aware that criticism comes with success. Embrace it and learn from it.
- Accept constructive criticism as a gift. It can enlighten you to the changes you need to make to be successful.
- Acknowledge that criticism is a learning tool that teaches you lessons throughout your life.
The Reality Choice
- A key element of your success is discovering and facing reality. Reality is actual, not imaginary. Make reality checks a daily habit.
- Look for truth in every situation, every relationship, every crisis, and every success. Reality checks help you identify your limits and allow you to focus on your opportunities.
- Understand that choosing reality may not always be the easiest path, but, bottom line, it will push you ahead on the road of life.
The Legacy Choice
- Be willing to share what you know and to mentor those looking for the pathway to success.
- The greatest gift you can give is your knowledge and experiences. Giving of yourself should come from the heart, and when this kind of giving happens, you are generously repaid for every kindness you share.
- Begin your legacy where you are—there’s always an opportunity for others to learn from you.
