Written by: Katie Stoddart, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You won’t get there on your own. How often have you heard this? How often has someone told you that you won’t get to the stars on your own? And yet, you push through, you ignore it. You believe that if other people have reached the moon alone, then so can you. If you continue like that, not only will you not reach the moon, but you’ll be lucky if you can even keep your business afloat. Today, we have painted a picture of individual success. In films and books, the personal journey is highlighted, and the support is often just a side part.
Alone to achieve success
When Harry defeats Voldemort, he is alone in a duel. When we look at some of the most “successful” people in business, we often see them alone standing out: Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates… When King George VI delivers his final speech, in “the king’s speech,” he is alone. What about when the superheroes (superman, spiderman, etc.) are fighting crime? They are often on their own dealing with the problem.
Yet, where would Harry be without Hermione & Ron? (And Neville and Dumbledore…) How would the king have delivered such a speech without his coach? What would Richard Branson or Oprah Winfrey have achieved if they had only strived alone?
We forget that this “individual success” comes from a group of people. Behind each bestselling book, there are hundreds of people. Behind each 7, 8, 9 figure business, there are hundreds or thousands of individuals. Alone, you can only get to the height of the Eiffel Tower (if you’re lucky!). With the right support, influence & group, you can go further than the moon.
So how can you make sure that you have the right group to support you? In this article, I will break it down into five main categories of support & influence that can enable you to progress at a greater pace.
1. Peer Group
You’ve probably heard that you are an average of the five people you spend the most time with. Yet, the peer group goes a lot further than this. Your peer group is your work colleagues, your friends, your family, your acquaintances…
On a biological level, when you spend time with people, you want to be like them (so that you can fit in and have a sense of belonging). That’s why if all your friends are marathon runners, you’ll probably at least be tempted to get into running (and maybe also become a marathon runner). On the other hand, if all your friends binge-watch Netflix shows, you’ll want to watch the same shows so that you can participate in the conversations.
It makes sense. Yet, we often neglect or underestimate the power of this. The one key ingredient that can get you from where you are now to where you want to be is surrounding yourself with people who are where you already want to be.
Let’s say you want to grow your business to 6 or 7 figures, then being surrounded by 6/7 figure business owners will provide you with: the mindset, the inspiration, the motivation, and the strategies to get there.
To evaluate your current peer group, check who you are spending time with and how they are influencing you. Maybe take a moment to think about how you feel after you see them and how they have impacted you in the long run.
A common action is to surround yourself with people who want the same goal (for example, joining a mastermind/ group of people who want to grow their business to 7 figures). This can be helpful, but it is important to balance this out with people who have achieved that goal. That’s because they will have the inner resources & external strategies you need to get there, and this can be a great source of inspiration and influence.
The people in your life affect your beliefs, thought patterns, your resilience, actions, and level of consciousness.
2. Coach & Mentor
It’s one thing to have a great peer group of co-workers and friends. It’s something else to work directly with a coach & mentor. Both aspects are complementary. Neither option is better than the other.
Having a great coach/mentor will support you in more ways than one. You will develop greater awareness of what is holding you back, and you will start to picture and see the way forward. A coach/mentor also provides you with the tools, resources, and insights you need to get to that next step.
From my own experience, I have realized that in some moments of my life & business, the greatest leaps I achieved were a direct consequence of a session with my coach.
Every single person out there that you view as successful has worked directly with a coach & mentor (and probably more than one). We cannot get to the next stage in our life and business without that external feedback, accountability, support, and strategies. There is only so much you can see and know when you are on your own.
3. Your team
Having a team is a powerful way to improve your leadership and reach greater results. One reason for this is that you first need to master yourself to lead others effectively. By having a team, you become more aware of what you need to work on so that you can influence & impact others.
There is also great strength in having a team: it creates synergy, innovation, and creativity. Look at some of the greatest films ever produced, whether it’s “Casablanca” or “The Lord of The Rings,” or your favorite film, it takes a huge team to deliver such a film. The director could be Hitchcock or Woody Allen, but on their own, there would be no film.
Being part of a great team also influences your behavior. You will adapt your thoughts, feelings, and actions to match the people around you. Understanding this will make you think twice before you hire anybody on your team or join your group.
4. Communities
Any community you join, any group you are part of will inspire and influence you. You’d be surprised how joining Toastmasters, going to a running group, or being in a coworking space, can influence you and your results.
This can be within your professional work or outside as a hobby. In other words, every single community/group you’re in has an impact. We often forget this, but the impact is still there.
Notice how you feel when you’re in one group compared to another one. Sometimes, you might need to leave certain groups if they are not fuelling you. Or it might be worth joining other groups if only for how they influence your mindset!
5. Information
An often-neglected aspect of influence is the information we consume. If you are plugged into ‘the Tim Ferris Show’ 24/7 versus if you are watching the news 24/7, this will have a tremendous impact on how you think & act.
Our thoughts are created from our past experiences, our surroundings, the people in our life, and the words & images we read & see. Work on your experience & thought patterns, and change your surroundings (people and information), and your whole life & reality will shift.
A great place to start is to take an inventory of everything you consume information-wise during one day/ one week: from your emails to social media, the news, podcasts, TV shows, books, etc. Looking back on that day, how much of this information served you? How much of it supported you to think in more positive, inspired ways? And how much of it drained you or made you feel down?
Once you become aware that information consumption matters so much, you start to become a lot more careful about what you choose to read, watch, or listen to. We absorb our surroundings like sponges. Choose wisely, it will pay off.
Last thoughts
In the past, I know how much I have underestimated the importance of having the right type of support and influence. It is very easy to be delusional and to believe that we can manage it all alone. Yes, in some ways, you can. But you won’t go as far or as efficiently as if you have the right people by your side. Not only that, but truth be said, it is also a lot more fun & enjoyable!
I hope this article has inspired you to seek the support and influence you need for your journey and to continue to aim for the moon and beyond. Wishing you a successful journey ahead!
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Katie Stoddart, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Katie Stoddart, founder of ‘The Focus Bee’ is an award-winning, international, high-performance coach, speaker and podcast host. Katie supports leaders and business owners to reach & sustain peak performance in their business.
For her weekly podcast ‘The Focus Bee Show’, Katie interviews leading experts in high performance. Passionate about living intentionally; Katie challenges each and every person she works with to re-focus on what matters most. Katie works primarily with entrepreneurs & executives through 1-1 coaching & workshops on: Focus, Leadership & Performance.
