I got interesting tips about The Price of Success from Anthony Dio Martin during morning ride to my office. As an expert in Emotional Intelligence, he came up with four prices that we had to pay in order to get success. What were they?
1. If You Have Time, Be Well-Prepared.
Before doing important things such as study, work, etc we should make a plan first. Planning is a blue print or guidance which make us easier in doing our project. If we fail to plan, then we plan to fail.
While having an interview for a desired position, for example, we should proactively find any related information about a company we were going to join with. There was a good example from Mr. Martin.
One day his consulting company was interviewing many applicants for a position of research staff. From many applicants there was one who looked more well-prepared although he was not graduated from prominent university.
Before the interview, apparently he had already searched information from internet about the company and the activities of the competitors. Furthermore, during the interview he was able to describe the analysis of industry and able to propose a new approach to deal with. After considering many applicants, certainly he was employed as the research staff, beating others.
2. If You Have a Chance, Do Your Best.
Sometimes we contribute to our profession or organization depend on what we get from it. If we get 5, we contribute 5, even less. Finally we will be trapped in ‘satanic circle’. In order to get success we have to do our best and create ‘angel circle’.
For example, if we get 5, we have to give 8. After that, our customer or employer will evaluate that we deserve to get 6. Then, when we give 9, we will get 7, etc. Mr. Martin gave an example when he was invited to deliver a training. Although the contract mentioned that he should deliver the training in 2 hours, he always lengthened the duration until one hour without additional fee.
While conducting training before religious community audience, Mr. Martin usually got less fee from them. On the contrary, he gave his best performance as he did in professional clients. He knew that from the audience there are potential clients who will be his next clients. If he reduced his level of standard, the potential clients would not be interested in using his service in their companies.
3. Get Your Inner Feeling on What You Have Done.
If we have already done our best, don’t expect the appreciation from others. Sometimes compliment works such a deceit. On the contrary, don’t be allergic to critic as it will bear fruit in the future. The inner feeling of accomplishment is more precious than expecting the appreciation from other people.
In term of religion, may be this kind of attitude is called ikhlas. We have to make sure that what right hand has given will not be known by our left hand. For example, when we donate our money for the poor people, don’t expect that society will appreciate and label us as a merciful man.
4. Always Challenge Your Limit.
Actually we have not explored yet all of our potential. Mr. Martin took an example of a man in Socrates’ era. He got a problem with his articulation while speaking. Not taken this for granted, he always trained his articulation by inserting small stone into his mouth while speaking and shouting by the sea side, confronting the sound of wave. Finally the man was well known as a great orator or public speaker in his age.
Another good example was Beethoven, a genius in classical music. Although he was deaf he knew that he had great talent in music. Then he challenged himself to compose lovely music. Till now his composition was well-known as one of the greatest in classical music. (Hery Azwan, Jakarta, 20/1/2008)
HERY AZWAN 