That's a pretty number isn't it? 100…
For some people it's the perfect grade, others it's a lifespan milestone, and others a nice chunk of change.
Want to know what 100 means to me?
For me, 100 is the essence of me being here today and writing this post for you. It is the foundation for my inevitable success in this industry and it is the cornerstone that kept me from quitting.
Wait…seriously Kevin? A number did all that for you?
The reason why this number is so dear to me is because that number is the number of reasons on why I would succeed. I wrote those reasons years ago and here I am today doing what I do best…providing servant-driven leadership and building a team that is motivated and moving.
Years ago when I first joined this industry, I was just a young college kid looking to create a safety net for myself should corporate America decide to pull the rug from under me just like it did to my dad. At my first business meeting as an associate, I was told to write down 100 reasons why I would succeed in this industry. Naturally I thought 3-5 would be fine but I went along with it anyway.
As I started learning about this industry and becoming more intrigued, I started listening to audio tracks that a particular leader made. He happened to touch on the subject of having those reasons for success and that's when it clicked for me.
He put it like this…
"I love my wife. Now by society's standards she may not be the most attractive in their eyes but to me, she is absolutely perfect. When I participated in an exercise to write down 100 reasons why I love my wife, our relationship grew. I started digging through the surface-level qualities and started digging deeper as to why I truly loved her."
Now imagine hearing that…a man who truly loves his wife and ultimately ends up loving her more because of a simple exercise. Do you think they're relationship is set up for success with this exercise?
Here is where my reasons came in handy. I lived in a 4 bedroom apartment with ridiculously thin walls. My roommates happened to be noisy, lazy and inconsiderate for the most part. So I was stuck in a place where I couldn't focus, I couldn't record videos properly and pretty much couldn't make any money. I would have to wait late at night to sneak into college classrooms so I could record videos in front of the whiteboard and carry out my marketing in a focused environment. As soon as I finished my homework and had Ramen for dinner, I had to go out and make things happen.
Honestly I could feel the weight taking its toll on me. Sometimes the classrooms would be locked and I had no where to record. Sometimes the janitor would accidentally walk in on me recording. Sometimes exams would take away all my marketing time.
But guess what carried me through all those obstacles? Yup you guessed it…100 reasons.
I still hit roadblocks from time to time, but not anywhere near what I hurdled in college. But I sure am glad I had those 100 reasons or I would be a drone for 40 years.
I don't know about you but I sure as hell am not going to do that.
My challenge to you is to grab a piece of paper and write 100 reasons why you're going to succeed in this industry. Once you're done, comment below saying you're all in.