BOOK SUMMARY 216 The Mindset of Success
· Summary
written by: Justin Gasbarre
"There
is a key to success, and that key is in your head."
- The Mindset of Success, page 15
In all areas of
life you run into certain people who stand out from the rest. They are the ones
who create energy, attract followers and make a difference in the lives of all
those they interact with. The Mindset of Success: From Good
Management to Great Leadership by Jo Owen examines the characteristics
of great leadership. After the completion of his fourteen year global research
study, Owen suggests that it’s not your skills nor your abilities that will be
the difference in being successful, it’s your mindset.
There are seven
mindsets that are examined throughout the course of the book. They are:High
Aspirations, Courage, Resilience, Positive Nature, Accountability,
Collaborative Mindset, and Growth Mindset.
Throughout the
book Jo Owen will explain to you why your mindset is the X-factor that takes
individuals from good to being truly great in their roles as leaders.
The Golden Egg
The Obstacle to
Success
"Mindset starts with ambition because
our potential is limited by our ambition."- The Mindset of Success, page
17
Truly great
leaders always seem to have a different outlook on business, relationships,
challenges and life in general. They imagine, create and are able to act on and
execute those visions. How exactly do they do that?
Author Jo Owen
would suggest that at the foundation of this greatness is in their ability to
think and dream differently than the masses. Owen says if you’re able to think
and aspire differently, inherently you will act differently which puts you in a
position to succeed.
The real obstacle
to success lies in our own heads and the sooner we recognize that, the quicker
we’ll position ourselves to circumvent it. There are always opportunities out
there to be capitalized on and most people understand that fact. The difference
between elite, successful people is that when those opportunities present
themselves, they don’t just ignore them and continue moving through life
thinking that’s for someone else. They recognize the opportunity, envision its
potential and then, most importantly, act and execute upon it.
When you aspire to
be great, you will constantly be looking for that opportunity to show the world
your potential and ability but it all starts with that initial desire and
ambition.
Gem #1
Dare to Act
"Chasing your dreams takes
courage."- The Mindset of Success, page 49
During Owen’s
research for this book, courage was the leadership quality that was repeatedly
picked by the leadership panel as being vital to success. Think about it this
way: early on in human history, courage was proven by overcoming physical
threats (animals, climate, opposing tribes, etc.). In today’s business world,
that’s not so much the case. Today’s courage comes by taking risks that effect
the success of the company, the return to its shareholders, the livelihood of
its employees and ultimately the personal reputation of the leader.
The question then
becomes how do we exercise this “courage muscle” to be able to take on and
handle the pressure and stress that comes along with risk in business today?
The answer is actually quite simple Owen says. “Deep training and lots of
practice trumps fear every time”. There’s a great example in the book of a fire
chief explaining how he trains his new recruits. “First things first… A brave
fireman soon becomes a dead fireman”. Interesting statement to make but what he
then explained was that after countless hours of deep training and practice, a
fire that you or I would consider risky and dangerous is quite routine and
relatively safe to the firefighters.
Jo Owen encourages
us to learn to take increasing risk and challenge in small steps. Doing this
over time will equip you with the skill and confidence to perform in any
situation that you desire.
Gem #2
Create the Right
Context
"Every opportunity is an opportunity to
learn and grow"- The Mindset of Success, page 39
Great leaders have
this constant desire for growth, regardless of their situation. They see every
task, job and interaction as an opportunity to learn, grow and develop. While
that sounds easy enough, the growth mindset is requires an unending desire to
be great. When looking at our careers, Owen has a five question test to help us
determine if we are working in the right place for developing our skills and
aspirations. They are:
1. Am
I learning and growing? You should be gaining the sort of
experience and skills that you can use and reuse in the future that you want to
make for yourself.
2. Are
there opportunities today and tomorrow? Are you in
the right role with a supportive boss now, and can you see other opportunities
on your journey of growth and development?
3. Do
I enjoy what I am doing? You only excel at what you enjoy.
There is a reason for this: doing well takes time, effort and commitment.
4. Are
there good role models for me? We learn
through experience, both our own and others.
5. Can
I find the right support?
These questions
help us to take a step back and objectively evaluate if our current opportunity
is one that will help propel us to where we want to be long term. Having that
type of self-awareness does not come easy yet is a critical component of
becoming a great leader.
This book is a
great reminder that we all have the ability to be extremely successful already
inside of us. The Mindset of Success provides a
practical framework to follow to help its readers get out of their own way, become
more self-aware and capitalize on their natural strengths and talents to be a
successful person and leader.
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