The biggest detriment to tomorrow’s success is today’s success. That problem can manifest itself in many ways. Here are the ones I’ve observed most often:
·
Been
There, Done That: Some people hit a milestone, and they make it a
tombstone. They get bored, lose their curiosity, and disengage. Don’t let that
happen to you.
·
The
Banquet Tour: When you succeed, people want to hear your story. However,
there’s a real danger that you can replace doing with speaking. Consultant Gail
Cooper advises, “When you win an award, set it up in the lobby and go back to
work.”
·
Success
Guarantees Success: Just because you can do one thing well doesn’t mean you
can do all things well. When you win, maintain your perspective.
·
The
Momentum Myth: People’s natural inclination after a win is to take a break.
Bad idea. When you’re winning, capitalize on the momentum. You’ll be able to do
things that might otherwise be impossible.
·
One-Hit
Wonders: Have you ever known someone who was successful once-and is still
living off of it? It’s a good idea to build off of yesterday; it’s a bad idea
to live off of it.
·
The
Entitlement Mind-Set: People who have something they didn’t win for
themselves start thinking they are entitled to more. That’s why many inherited
businesses go out of business. To keep winning, you need to stay hungry and
keep learning.
·
Playing
Not to Lose: After some people win, they become cautious and defensive.
They worry about staying on top. Not wanting to do something stupid, they do
something stupid; they focus on not losing instead of winning.
