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The Road to Success

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:52:37 +0000

The path to success requires hard work, belief in one self, perseverance, passion, and determination. In rare cases, luck shows up!

“The lottery is great, because it’s easy. Not certain, but easy. If you win, the belief goes, you’re done. Medical school is great because it’s certain. Not easy, but certain. If you graduate, the belief goes, you’re done. Most people are searching for a path to success that is both easy and certain. Most paths are neither.” -Seth Godin

Ever feel like your efforts are not enough to attain success? Ever question yourself why others and not me? Ever feel like you’ve chosen the wrong path?

Nothing in life comes easy. Most roads are often bumpy. The road to success is one of them.

Simply put, success is attaining the goals you have set for yourself, commitment, your family, organization, community, or business. Setting realistic goals and not comparing yourself to others will yield a better measure of success. Success is relative. What you may consider successful, others may not and vice versa. It is impossible to please or woo everyone. Others will always an opinion of why X or Y is not successful enough. If you listen to all the critics, you will never feel satisfied with your own success.

The path to success requires hard work, belief in one self, committment, perseverance, passion, and determination. In rare cases, luck shows up!

“The lottery is great, because it’s easy. Not certain, but easy. If you win, the belief goes, you’re done. Medical school is great because it’s certain. Not easy, but certain. If you graduate, the belief goes, you’re done. Most people are searching for a path to success that is both easy and certain. Most paths are neither.” -Seth Godin

If you are looking for both easy and certain, you may be limiting yourself and your abilities too much. If you are looking for easy, you are being unrealistic, perhaps lazy, or way too comfortable. If you are looking for certain, there are plenty of options. If you are looking to follow your passion(s), you will find plenty of options. If you find the perfect fit that is certain and combines your career choice and passions, you will find plenty of joy in your life and work. And yes, this is possible!

Set yourself on a continuous path of success by setting realistic and attainable goals. Enjoy and celebrate each one of them.

The Heart of the Entrepreneur: to Undertake

Jorge Fusaro — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:14:23 +0000

Here is a concise and powerful definition on entrepreneurship. A couple of years back, I received an MBA brochure from the FW Olin’s School Graduate School of Business at Babson University in Boston, well-known for their strength in entrepreneurship. The brochure included the following definition:

“Entrepreneurship is, ‘A way of thinking and acting that is opportunity obsessed, holistic in approach, and leadership balanced: from the French entreprendre- [which means] ‘to undertake.’”

Building on this definition, here are seven more characteristics that come to mind when I think about entrepreneurship. Hopefully, it will help open our minds to more possibilities of “undertaking” any project, challenge, solution, or idea as we enter into 2010. Entrepreneurship is way of thinking and action that is:

Action-oriented and hands-on.
Visionary and mission-focused.
Not limited to business. You can undertake anything.
Intellectual and emotional. Intense and contemplative.
Creative, innovative, and daring.
At its best when opportunities are wisely researched and evaluated.
Holistic, integrating both personal and community resources to create more value.

Entrepreneurs find fulfillment when they undertake projects with passion and purpose.

What else would you add to this list?
What will you undertake in 2010?

Please share your comments in the section below. Thanks!

What Matters Now: 70+ Ideas from Big Thinkers

Jorge Fusaro — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:56:50 +0000

Once again, raising the bar and pushing people to think out of the box, Seth Godin has gathered 70+ thinkers across all industries and asked them to share a big idea. These ideas are all packaged in a nicely designed eBook you can download for free (links at the end of this post). Few people can make this happen…talk about influence! Seth is the author of the best-sellers Purple Cow, Tribes and the upcoming-blockbuster (I think it’s going to be a hit!) Linchpin in January.

Perhaps you are familiar with some ideas in this eBook, but there is a lot of good thoughts to chew and digest. The awesomeness of this project is that everyone around the world can now be exposed to these ideas and the possibilities for change.

The thinkers who participated are some of the most innovative and bright minds in business today, but the ideas outlined are not limited to business. Consider it a primer on great thinkers, great ideas, and great hints to emerging trends in business and society today.

My favorite are:

Howard Mann raising important questions about Connectedness: “We walk the streets with our heads down staring into 3-inch screens while the world whisks by doing the same. And yet we’re convinced we are more connected to each other than ever before. Multi-tasking has become a badge of honor. I want to know why.”
John Wood (Room to Read) – “If you get education right, you get many things right: escape from poverty, better family health, and improved status of women.” Education can save the world.
Really liked how Dave Ramsey brought God into the equation (literally) with his formula: “FOCUSED INTENSITY over TIME multiplied by GOD equals Unstoppable Momentum.” “Lastly, you and I are finite, while GOD is infinite.”
Tim Sanders reminding us to give thanks continually: “Gratefulness is a muscle, not a feeling. You need to work it out daily.”

I can go on and on, but it is time to break for lunch. I will keep reading and share more thoughts later on. For now, download this remarkable eBook and make it yours.

Click here to read Seth’s blog introducing the book and here to download the PDF.

What idea resonates more with you and why?
Would you add another thinker to the group?

Please share in the comment section below. Thanks!

Learning from The Dancing Guy

Jorge Fusaro — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:13:06 +0000

A couple of months ago, I wrote an article, “Dare to Follow Your Heart.“ In this similar topic of overcoming your fears and daring to be different, I think the following video illustrates the power of being first or among the first. There is a lot to be said about being the first in life and in business. I think this short video may inspire others to be the first. Who knows, maybe you can start a movement! See what happens near the end of the video.

Guy #1 reminds me of George Carlin’s quote: “those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music.”

What did you first think about the dancing guy?
What did you feel while watching the video?
If you had been there, would you have been guy #1, guy #3, or #49?
Perhaps you would have remained sitting down doing nothing, pointing fingers, laughing, and/or criticizing. Ask yourself: why?

I like Seth Godin’s take on this: “My favorite part happens…when guy #3 joins the group. Before him, it was just a crazy dancing guy and then maybe one other crazy guy. But it’s guy #3 who made it a movement. Initiators are rare indeed, but it’s scary to be the leader. Guy #3 is rare too, but it’s a lot less scary and just as important. Guy #49 is irrelevant. No bravery points for being part of the mob. We need more guy #3s.”

Take away: Dare to dance! Move forward. Being the first—in anything—is always scary. Some people may understand and support. Others may not. Some people may think you are nuts, irrational, or foolish. A few will support you if you experience success.

Don’t let limiting beliefs about yourself or fears stop you from following your heart. Don’t let myths hold you back. Go ahead and dare.

Dare to live the life you want!

Networking Strategies to Thrive in a Tough Economy

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:28:03 +0000

You have heard it said over and over again: “It’s not what you know but who you know that makes the difference.” This unknown proverb has become the wisdom of the ages, passed down from mentors, parents, coaches, and career counselors.

Networking is important and critical for success. Whether you are an artist, entrepreneur, student, leader, or professional, strong networking skills will eventually pay off. Opportunities multiply when you have a reliable and diverse network of friends and colleagues.

Technology, social media in particular, has allowed introverted types to interact socially with more confidence. Social networking websites have given users access to see and connect with others that they would have not been able to connect otherwise.

What networking is:
In his book, Endless Referrals, Bob Burg, provides my favorite definition of networking: “I like to define networking as cultivating mutually beneficial, give-and-take, win-win relationships… The end result may be to develop a large and diverse group of people who will gladly and continually refer a lot of business to us, while we do the same for them.” I have little to add to Burg’s words, except that networking is more about other people than it is about you. Networking is about relating and filling someone else’s need(s).

What networking is not:
Networking is not about popularity. Some people believe (or have been convinced by internet marketers and even consultants) that a high count of fans or followers will bring business knocking at the door. Let me say it in another way: online favoritism (“I likes” and “retweets” will not get you that job you are targeting.

I have learned a lot from Seth Godin over the years. In a recent interview at the AMEX OPEN Forum, Godin was asked how social networking can benefit businesses. He ranted that networking is not about keeping score by adding a bunch of people on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and/or LinkedIn: “Networking is always important when it’s real. And it’s always a useless distraction when it’s fake.” What makes it real? Try engaging and doing something for someone else.

We can agree that social networking has revolutionized the web and continues to provide dozens of accessible and effective marketing tools for small and large businesses. It has also helped us reconnect with long-lost friends from school, college, and past co-workers.

Yet connecting with people online doesn’t just transfer into business. A valuable exchange needs to happen; an exchange of information, knowledge, and/or resources between two parties. That’s the first secret to successful networking.

For more successful and practical networking strategies read “10 Networking Tips to Standout in a Crowd” and “How to Become a Successful Networker.“

Gold Nuggets: Leadership Summit 2009 – Day 2/2

Jorge Fusaro — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:48:51 +0000

The best from the Leadership Summit – Day 2 below. If you missed my previous article (Gold Nuggets – Day 1), please click here to read it. To get all my notes from Day 1 and 2, email me.

The Leadership Summit, hosted by the Willow Creek Association, is the largest annual leadership event in the world.

*Scroll down for quotes from Bono and Tony Blair!*

David Gergen was my favorite guest of the day. Mr. Gergen is editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and political analyst for CNN and PBS, and has served as a White House adviser to four presidents; Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He is also a professor at Harvard’s School of Public Leadership.

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Thinking Forward: Third Culture Leadership
Dave Gibbons

“Third culture is the mindset and will to love, learn and serve in any culture, even in the midst of discomfort.”
“Obedience is more important than passion.”
“We often assess people based on their strengths. There’s more to people’s strengths… there’s their story. The most important thing is people’s story… do you have time to listen to them?”
“When we love those who are hard to love, hard to get close to, completely unlike us–people will notice. It’s completely abnormal. That’s our calling. What’s noticeable about being normal?”

Aid vs. Trade
Andrew Rugasira

Aid is not really aid: “Between 1970-2000, Africa received $400 Billion in aid from the US. Is it any better? No, in fact the GDP decreased when aid increased.”
Aid undermines accountability: “Aid creates chronic dependence. When they become dependent on outside help, they are resistant to receive help from the inside…from NGO’s.” “Real partnerships will create lasting community transformation.”

Leveraging Your Past
Wess Stafford

“If the pain in your life is fueled by someone in your past who hurt you, there’s one word you need to know: forgiveness.”
“If you hold grudges against people who have hurt you, then you are allowing them to live rent free in your heart and your mind.”
“What people have done to us in our past should not define us.”
“Forgiveness may not mean forgetting, or that it was okay, or release from consequences of actions, or reconciliation. Forgiveness does mean giving up the right for revenge.”

Eyewitness to Power
David Gergen (Interview with Bill Hybels)

“Not every reader is a leader…but every leader is a reader.”
Leaders can get so busy that they don’t reflect, journal, write, discuss, etc. “It’s easy to confuse motion with progress.” “The best leaders are the ones who think carefully about they want to accomplish, choose what they want to pursue, and actively pursue it with feedback along the way.”
“A teacher of leadership cannot make/produce leaders.” “…We need to influence and point to role models.”
“The day of the Lone Ranger as a leader are over. Leaders no longer need to be alone. “Leaders today get the best results when they have a great team around them.” “The world is too complex..the role of leadership is about inspiring your team AND other leaders/groups outside your team. We must learn to partner and collaborate. We must build things together.”
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Switch
Chip Heath and Dan Heath (Interview with Craig Groeschel)

“When dealing with problems, ignore the True But Useless info (TBUs) and focus on learning from what is working and replicating it.”
“Big problems are rarely changed through big solutions…rather, it needs to be a series of small solutions.”
“To accomplish meaningful change, you must be convinced that there is a goal worthy of the pain of changing.”
“Sometimes we may not have a person problem…we actually have a situation problem. We tend to attribute things to a person rather than to their situation.” “We need to think broadly about people’s situations. Good leaders have the gift of seeing people’s situations. Sculpting the path is part of creating change.”

Bono, the Church… Three Years Later (videocast)
Bono

“We referred to the Church as the sleeping giant. Now that she has awoken, we didn’t know she could run so fast.”
“It’s an offense to Christ or any concept of truth and justice that we aren’t reaching people in need.”
“Had the church not woken up on the issue of AIDS we would not have 2 million Africans on anti-viral drugs.”
“I have a fear of denominationalism. I have been equally comfortable and uncomfortable in different churches…I like to go where the life is…what I don’t like are churches where it is a lifeless ceremony.”
“When you make a sermon, people don’t want things to be too complicated, they want you to be honest. They want a spirit of humility.”
“There’s always resistance on the journey to equality.”

An Interview with Tony Blair (videocast)
Tony Blair (Interview with Jim Mellado)

“Conventional wisdom says ‘to do’ the comfortable thing. The problem is that the comfortable thing to do can often be the wrong thing to do.”
“Part of leadership is having an inner core, an irreducible core, the thing that cannot be chipped away at. You cannot yield on what is at your core. You have to do what you know is right, even if it’s not popular. Your job is to stand by what you think.”
“The process of doubting is right. But there comes a moment when you need to lay aside the fear that comes with doubt and you have to be willing to take the responsibility of decision making.” “There are 2 types of people: (1) those who just provide commentary and, (2) those who actually step out and decide and lead.”
“By counting your blessings you can endure pain and disappointment. Whatever pain and disappointment you accumulate, it cannot compare to the blessings you have. This isn’t to minimize the suffering in our lives…but what are we really complaining about.”
“Leadership is a blessing and is a gift that you have to bless others. It is your duty to do if you can do it. The way that the world around you works, without the leader things don’t get done. The sense of joy in getting something done is worth all the pain along the way.”

The Simple Things
Bill Hybels

Consider establishing a time and place where you will meet personally with God every day. Most leaders don’t do this because they are too busy. “Leaders need something fresh from God every day.”
Commit to reading good gooks for at least 30 minutes each day.
Review your replenishment strategy. “Instead of doing something big, maybe you should do something simple… decide if you are on a net gain or in depletion mode?”
Say yes to God without knowing what the question is.
Your life matters.
This isn’t the pre-game, this is THE game.

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Follow your Heart: Challenge Whatever Holds You Back

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:36:16 +0000

In a recent article, Follow your Heart: Dare to Believe it is Possible, I proposed that the common thing that stands between a person and what they want to accomplish in life is often the willingness to dare and the faith to believe that it is possible.

This time, I want to challenge and dismiss three myths that often stand in the way of dreams and hold people back.

Photo by Reshat Fanana

A myth is a misrepresentation of the truth, a false belief or idea. Despite the misrepresented and distorted nature of myths, many are widely held in society today. Myths are often the result of cultural, social, religious, and family upbringings. Therefore, they are ingrained in our psyche and shape the way we live, behave, and make decisions, both at a conscious and/or unconscious level.

I believe the following three myths often stand in the way of following our hearts.

Myth 1: If I follow my heart, I may disappoint others.

It is virtually impossible to meet other people’s expectations all the time. Your family, friends, and colleagues have expectations about you and for you. They may think they know what is best. In spite their best intentions, your heart may take you in a different direction. Some will like where you are going and some will not. Decisions, as most processes in life, come with gains and losses. You can only do so much to avoid disappointment in others. However, there is once thing I recommend: be considerate of others and seek to wise counsel. After all, doing what makes you come alive will bring life and happiness to others.

Myth 2: If I follow my heart, I may fail.

Many have grown-up to believe that failure is a bad thing and must be avoided at all costs. Our society is obsessed with perfection and success, thereby resulting in an unhealthy fear of failure. This fear of failure has paralyzed many hearts. Following your heart is sometimes considered as challenging the status quo. The status quo proposes that you follow the motions and the things everyone else does. There is an unspoken myth that if you fall outside the way “everyone does it” you may fail. Truth is that failure may come either way, if you follow your heart or not. Failure helps us grow and become better people; better parents, leaders, friends, and workers. Can you live with failure? I bet you can. The reward and satisfaction that comes from following your heart is far greater than failure

Myth 3: If I follow my heart, I may be criticized.
People have a tendency to criticize. You may be criticized if you run with the crowd, if you stand out among the crowd, or if you run away from the crowd. Chances are others will voice their opinions and comment about the things you do. Criticism comes in two ways, constructive and destructive. One fosters improvement and the later may freeze you from doing anything at all. Don’t let a destructive critic dictate the decisions in your life.

These myths are also alive in some organizations. Leaders, managers, and CEO’s have major decisions to make on a daily basis. The thought of disappointing subordinates, co-workers, and board members can be paralyzing. The thought of failing to implement, execute, and/or deliver successfully may shoot stress levels over the roof. Falling prey to criticism by the media or by consumers is indeed horrifying.

Do you relate with one or more of these myths?
Have you not followed your heart because of myths?

Odds are that you relate. The good news is that you don’t have to live by these or any other myth any longer. The first step to dispel a myth is to recognize it. Second, have faith and follow your heart. Finally, experience the joy and let others know!

Go ahead and follow your heart. Ask someone out. Change careers. Start a business. Pray and know God. Sign-up for that marathon. Forgive and restore a broken relationship. Take a yoga class. Volunteer at a not-for-profit. Launch that new product. Get married.

Your heart is speaking. Are you listening?

Follow your Heart: Dare to Believe it is Possible

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:56:27 +0000

How would your life look if you dared to follow your heart? What prevents you from actually taking action?

Unfortunately, only a few dare to live the life they want.

Photo by Emily M.

According to Webster’s dictionary, the verb “dare” is defined as: “To have adequate or sufficient courage for any purpose; to be bold or venturesome; not to be afraid; to venture.”

Daring to follow your heart is not an easy pursuit. It may require,

an honest and careful consideration of family, career, and finances;
the courage to venture onto paths you may not have set foot on before;
decisions which are generally considered uncommon; as well as,
overcoming limiting beliefs about yourself, i.e. “I’m not good enough!” and “I will not make it.”

It is important to note that there is a clear distinction between following your heart and acting on impulse. Following your heart involves self-reflection and acting on impulse does not. Following your heart is not about quitting your job and figure out what you want to do next. It’s not about buying a plane ticket, traveling the world, and dealing with reality once you get back. It’s not about pursuing someone else (when you are in a committed relationship) simply because you decided to “follow your heart.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” -Steve Jobs

Last year, I quit my job working at a major Business School in California and moved to Italy. My heart was directing me to take some time off to travel, explore, and reflect. I rented an apartment in Tuscany to enhance my Italian language and travel the country to discover, experience, and photograph 33 cities. I was motivated by my zeal for adventure, knowledge, people, and culture, combined with a sincere desire for personal growth and life-changing experiences. In many circles, this is considered an irresponsible/unusual move, that may produce concerns and fear. Convinced to follow my heart, I entered this journey with an open mind and heart.

Before making the move, I drafted a plan that allowed me to continue serving clients through Leadership Fuel, the coaching and consulting practice I began in 2006. This plan included the necessary arrangements to support my clients remotely while living abroad. I now have an established organization that serves and supports professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders all over the world; in places such as China, Argentina, France, Indonesia, Canada, and United States.

So, how did I achieve this? What made this happened? Nothing special. I am not different from any of you. The difference was I dared. That’s all it took. I dared to follow my heart. I dared to make mistakes and learn from them. I dared to do what makes me come alive while acting responsibly, keeping my integrity, and being true to myself. Was I sure it was all going to work out exactly how I planned it? Of course not, but I am happy and satisfied how it all turned out!

You may be thinking, “What have I wanted to do for so long, but lacked the courage?” “What would it take to trust my heart?” “What’s at stake if I only dare?”

I don’t know what your heart is telling you now. Maybe you feel it is time to take a leap of faith and dare. If that is the case, congratulations! Let me support you in this process. As your personal coach, I will help you gain clarity, define priorities, plan responsibly, take action, and assure you stay on track.

Daring makes most things in life possible.

When you dare to follow your heart, you dare to be true to who you really are.

10 New Business Gurus You Should Know

Jorge Fusaro — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:44:39 +0000

Have you heard of Peter Drucker, Jim Collings, Patrick Lencioni, and C.K. Prahalad? These are some of the leading thinkers and practitioners (professors, authors, CEO’s) who are impacting business management, both philosophy and practice.

This is a great article to check out. It was published late last year in Fortune Magazine.

10 New Gurus You Should Know – Fortune Magazine

“My Favorite Business Book” website

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:04:57 +0000

The folks at ChangeThis have release their latest project, the “My Favorite Business Book” website. ChangeThis is on a mission to spread important ideas and change minds. The purpose of their new project is to create a peer-generated bibliography of the best and most useful business books.

Visit the website. You can read reviews or share a personal story of how the book helped you in business and/or life. It’s easy to get started and no sign-up info is required. It’s just as easy as posting a comment on a blog.

The best part is that you get to sign your name with a “live link” included, which links readers back to your blog or website.