3 WAYS TO START ACCOMPLISHING YOUR GOALS

By Gary Vaynerchuk

If you want to start accomplishing your goals you need to understand that your reputation, a.k.a your “personal brand,” is what you trade from in your personal and professional life.

As I take a moment to reflect, and think about how my profile has expanded dramatically on Instagram, YouTube and iTunes through my Podcast and Playlist over the last 15 months, I have begun to see my audience and the attention that I have on social media shifting significantly younger.

As I realize that I am now impacting more 12-22 year-olds through the content that I produce, I am well aware that there’s a real opportunity to lay the foundation and set the blueprint on things like positivity, empathy, kindness, hard work, gratitude and more. My hope is to use the attention I have been gifted with to try to break through to at least one person on every single post, every single day for the rest of my life. That’s what I want. Hopefully, that will be my legacy.

As I continue to study consumer attention and try to reverse engineer what people care about in culture and why, I have started to notice an enormous amount of stress, anxiety, and misunderstanding for a lot of these 15 to 25-year-olds as they try to navigate the next chapter of their lives. On a phone call to a member of #FirstinLine I was able to create and articulate some of my points of view on specific pillars I think that everyone should be thinking more about when it comes to considering the traditional pathways to “success.”

As most people’s stress and anxiety in life stems from where they will potentially work or spend the majority of their adult life, trying to pay the bills and support themselves or their family, a lot of this advice centers around the traditional pathways of “getting a job.” Obviously, there are a million ways you could go about doing that beyond the standard 9-5 route but for many this is still a concern.

For those of you that might not know, I’ve written two books, Crush It and Crushing It!, that give you an in-depth blueprint for alternatives to the corporate path.In this article, I am not talking about the endless ways you can pursue your passions but more so the three pathways I currently see that can set you on the right track.

1. WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO SCHOOL

When a lot of people think about being “successful” or achieving a major milestone in their life, they think about graduating from school.

This is by far the easiest one for everybody to understand, and probably the one my blog and others that read this will resonate with the most. I am more than confident that there’s a high percentage of my over-40-year-old crowd that will accept it, agree with it, believe it is the best, if not the only way to succeed, and I get that. I have a ton of empathy for the brand promotion of a top-tier college degree.

I still think a college degree has utility and purpose in a pre-2017 work-force and can definitely help sort you or validate you from a societal or historical point of view. That’s why so many of you still consider it the right move.

However, I would be remiss not to mention the topic of conversation around college debt and the fact that many employers, VaynerMedia included, aren’t over-indexing against where our employees, or potential employees, went to school.

School is certainly one path, but in a 2018 world, it’s certainly not the only one.

And look, I get it. For so long a college degree has been this symbol, and medal of some kind which serves as a line item on your resume and your LinkedIn profile that can bring instant credibility to your know-how and experience. It funnels you into a network and it gives you a common shared experience with other employers or employees and alumni who have went through the same thing. I for one, was a D and F student and chose option 3 for myself, which you will read about in a moment as a way to succeed. I did not go to a top tier school, and I got terrible grades, yet I still turned out okay.

So my point is that there are definitely other ways, and if you can’t get into a good school, or you don’t want to go to college, you shouldn’t feel bad about that decision. Because of the internet, there is plenty of opportunity and access to the information you need to help you succeed.

2. HOW TO GET A JOB WITH OR WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE

Number two, as a new way of considering how you might enter the workforce, is this idea of working for someone you admire or want to be like, in any capacity for as little money as you possibly can.

One concept that has really emerged over the last five years is the question to myself that “If I had to do it all over again, what would I do differently?”

Obviously, I had the fortune, and the ability to go and work for and build my family business for my parents, but I also felt the gratitude and excitement to do so. In hindsight, the only option that I would have even considered besides what I did was if I would’ve gone and worked for some of the top entrepreneurs in the world at the time, even if it meant I had to be poor and get a job at midnight on the side to help support that lifestyle.

I think a lot of the time when I talk about providing value or working for somebody who you want to be one day, people often say, “Well, Gary… You can afford it.” But there are many many people in the world that are living on $10 or $12 or $15 an hour. I would do anything to work for Oprah Winfrey or Bill Gates or Steve Jobs or Jack Welch at a low wage because I know the upside, the leverage, and the education from doing so would be enormous.

Not to mention that, unlike in 1998 when the only side-hustle you could have had to be done in person like shoveling snow, shining shoes, getting coffee, etc., today, you can have a side-hustle selling knick-knacks online. All of the opportunity is literally right there on your phone and your fingertips. If you just went on Craigslist and researched the free section, and sold things or flipped them on ebay, Amazon or Facebook Marketplace, you could very well make an extra $300 week from your iPhone or pc. You’d have to put in the work, but it’s definitely possible.

But here’s the thing. Working for and getting close to an Alpha operator is the single best thing you can possibly do in today’s 2018 world. They don’t have to be Diddy or Drake, they can be a high level executive at a company you like, or an athlete, musician, startup founder or just someone you really admire. Once you build that relationship and provide value, it will set you up for disproportionate opportunity down the line.

The fact of the matter is you can’t be romantic. As long as you get your foot in the door and find a way to provide value to the person you most want to be like, then you have a great chance. It is a whole lot better to get coffee for 4 years for Taylor Swift and then go on to manage or have the connection to work with all of these other high profile people than being a mid-level manager at a company you might hate.

I can’t stress enough how much it means to over-deliver for a “superstar” and what that can do for the rest of your life. There is no better springboard than to work for a mogul, getting into his or her inner circle, and then trading off of that equity for your future success. Because when you do it for LeBron, and when you did it for Drake, and when you’re doing it for Bobby Brown, then your equity in the marketplace becomes exponential.

A high percentage of the 25-year-olds that I respect that have been working for me have been eating crow for years but now they get a co-sign from me, not only in business but in my heart which means the world, and it is 100% the best way to win.

The way to go about getting that opportunity is to literally live on social media and DM, and tweet, email or use LinkedIn to hit up 50 people a day that you would like to get close to or help in any way. The thing that might surprise you, is that 1 out of 100 might say yes.

If you start a message with “Hi, xxx I love everything you do! I would love to come film for you and chop up the best moments of your day and distribute that across social media because I think your brand is important and it could be a lot bigger if you did A, B and C. I’m willing to work for free for 2 months and and if you like the value that I provide, I would love a spot on your team.”

It’s 1000% the 2018 strategy to succeed.

Half of the people on my team got their job through Instagram DM and Twitter. I promise that every person you know or want to be like has either a Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. Do your research and figure out how to provide value. Go in soft, provide value, provide value, make your ask and rinse and repeat. You might have to do this 5000 times but eventually it will lead to something.

Whether you go to college or not, I highly encourage you to give this a try.

3. DO IT YOURSELF

This is probably the most difficult version of how to start the process of achieving your goals but it’s also the one that has the most upside and that is to simply go out and do it yourself. You just have to execute and build your own thing, which is what I did. Obviously I’m a big proponent of this since it’s the model I took but that being said, it’s by far the hardest. The problem is, everyone’s out there doing too much talking and lacking the patience needed to really succeed. I think people’s mouths are way ahead of their actions and they’re not executing to build something substantial and real.

They’re talking in the short term to build themselves up because they’re worried about the judgment of others who criticize their “thing.”

But if you choose this option, if you can get your head into a place where you’re thinking about your game in ten-year terms, not in three-year terms, your outlook changes dramatically.

The beauty of building your own thing also means you are not at the mercy of anyone else. This equally takes the most ego and the most humility. This is the one that takes the most patience in the macro, but requires the most intensity and speed in the micro. This is the one I’m most romantic about.

But the truth is, not everyone can be a number 1 and not everyone should be. It comes down to self-awareness, and reverse engineering who you really are. My thought process is that great athletes are born with traits and body compositions and muscles that help them excel. Of course they can train and learn and practice, but the fact that you are 6 foot 8 and naturally built to run faster than anyone you know gives you a big advantage.

Even though it’s obvious that I’m very into this path, it’s because I really do think I’m a pure-bred entrepreneur and I was meant to do this. My big concern right now above everything is how many of you reading this could have an incredible career by following the path of option 2 but you’re choosing number three because you lack the patience and you like the badge of being a “CEO” or “entrepreneur” in the short-term.

I promise you starting at number two creates far more people that go on to win than those who start at option three. Number three creates extreme success stories for a very small minority but the masses tend to fail and wind up having to go back to executing a version of number 1.

Not everyone can drop out and start Facebook. About 90% of startups fail.

So you really have to deploy self-awareness in this whole process and do what’s right for you.

There are many ways that these three models can take shape but they really do feel like the most clear pathways to begin to achieve your goals. And whether your goals are money, legacy, or going home at 5pm to play ping pong and be part of the local soccer league, then that’s the right thing for you. I have plenty of friends who have huge titles at big companies who just aren’t happy, and also have friends who make $50,000 a year and have great work/life balance, a family, and tons of happiness with 3 annual vacations.

Whether you’re thinking about going to school or you’re thinking about doing it yourself, these are the 3 ways I see it shaking out. You need to figure out which is the right path for you and deploy self-awareness to realize you are either an operator/entrepreneur, or you need time and you want to go to school to figure it out or maybe you’ll be the most successful as a number 7 or number 17 behind an A player who will help you win. There is nothing wrong with any of these paths, I just want to make it clear that as you navigate and try to mitigate your own stress and anxieties, these are the options you should consider. You need to quiet the voice inside your own head and realize you have a choice. These are 3 great options to help you get there. And the best part about this whole conversation is that you truly have time. You could do a mix of all three over a 10 year period from 18-28 and still have your whole life to figure it out. The fact that you are consumed by the stress of making the “right” decision at 18 or 22 or 26 is ludicrous to me and needs to stop. Deploy patience, self-awareness and an appreciation of the process by doing the thing that you have the most passion, energy and excitement for in the moment. Don’t overthink it! Slow down, take a breath and learn to “get there” day-by-day.

Source: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/accomplish-goals/

How To Become A Network Champion

Did you know that becoming a network champion is an art that anyone can master? That's right! Anyone can master the art of Networking. Armed with a few simple tools you can become the talk of the town.

One of the first mistakes that most people make would be to talk too much about themselves. Your main emphasis should be on the people you are corresponding with. The trick is not to come across as self-absorbed and/or arrogant, but show interest in the other person. You may want to focus your attention on how you make the other person feel. If you can make the other person feel good about who they are you may have made a first impression that could possibly last a life time. Never lose sight that you never get a second chance for a first impression.

If you want to explode your networking audience, you will want to expand your contact with people outside of your present Networking circle. Most net-workers make the mistake of only corresponding with people they know and are unwilling to expand their horizons and venture outside of their present circle of influence. If you want to grow your networking circle you must grow. This is the golden rule of networking. Exposure! Exposure! Exposure!

You will want to stop using a friend as a crutch when attending Networking events. I get it! Sometimes it takes the edge off having a friend come along with you when attending a Networking event, but you will want to avoid being joined at the hip of that individual the entire time you are attending the Networking event. It's OK to venture out of your comfort zone and meet new and exciting people. I was told most of my life that "a stranger is a best friend you have not met yet." I have found that saying to be quite true. Never forget, Networking is never a waste of time, if you don't squander the opportunities that present themselves.

Becoming a Network champion takes a positive attitude all the time. I repeat, all the time. You should never be caught talking negatively about anyone. This is a poor reflection of who you are. It is almost impossible to come back from this type of classification and/or behavior. The last thing you want to do is make a fool of yourself in front of an affluent influential person. You never know, you may need that persons help later on down the road, so it is very important that you treat everyone you come in contact with respect and admiration.

If you would like to know more about Networking come visit me at http://www.drmarkhuddleston.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mark_Huddleston/2499373

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9863977

Consider Your Personal Brand

In a modern World of Facebook, YouTube and connected consciousness in all it’s forms – platforms that provide extensions of consciousness that pervade the new reality of a physical World mixed, and often distorted, with a complex and hyper-connected cyber World – we must be more self-aware than ever.

Everyone should be thinking about their personal brand – what it means to them, and what it says about them to the outside World.

I’ve become particularly interested in this subject as a result of my mission to bring positive change to the World by realising my vision of humanity at it’s best, striving to be better, and thriving through understanding how to interact with each other in a quality and meaningful way so we can work together to solve the meaningful problems we find ourselves faced with. I was introduced to the principal of being a ‘Key Person of Influence‘ by Daniel Priestley’s book by the same name (click the link for more details). I read this book whilst on holiday in Italy, and it provided some revolutionary insights for me about how to build my personal brand, and why it was important.

Whether you’re in business or not, this is something that should be on your radar. The benefits of becoming a key person of influence in business and your professional life are fairly obvious – the most exciting projects, the highest fees and the best opportunities always end up with key people of influence. Why is this? Quite simply, because they are seen, known and trusted in their respective market place, and furthermore are seen as experts in their field. Why wouldn’t you want to work with an expert who you feel like you know because you see their content everywhere? Become a key person of influence in your industry, and you won’t be worried about finding or keeping work so long as you provide a fair exchange of perceived value to your clients with excellent customer service.

However, you’re not off the hook if you are employed and have no plans to change the World anytime soon.

You’re even more unlucky if you’re a millennial… because it’s more than likely that 100% of your life is on-line, and what’s on-line is timeless – a fact few in recent generations seem to realise or appreciate enough!

These days, employers use peoples Facebook profiles and other social media information that is publicly available to get a more solid idea of who job applicants are, what their values are, and whether or not they will be a good fit for the role they’ve applied for, and be a good fit for company culture. There is so much information about us on-line with most people using social media platforms heavily and regularly, and so everyone should be considering this when they’re posting information and updates to the various sites that act as adverts for their lives. Your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles are now part of your CV – whether you like it or not!

This is exactly why everyone should be thinking about their personal brand, and working to nurture it into one they are proud to present to the rest of the World – it’s going to be presented to us anyway, so it’s well worth putting the effort in to get it right.

The first thing you need to do if this concept is new to you is to decide on what your key values are, and to write them down. This should be a set of guiding principals by which you consistently live your life, and that result in actions that match those of the person you are working to become. If you don’t know what these values are, or you have a rough idea but they’re not specific or clear enough in your mind, then you have no way of knowing if you’re behaving in a way that’s serving your higher purpose in life. Before you fire a gun, you need to make sure it’s pointing at the target…

It is then important that you review your social media activity to date, and be honest with yourself as to whether or not the way you’ve been advertising yourself is congruent with the way you want to be seen, derived from the values and guiding principals you’ve just written down. Some of it will be positive, and some will be negative – don’t get hung up on the stuff you don’t like the look of, just make a mental note and be sure to avoid repeating behaviour you’ve now identified as negative. Do more of the stuff you like, and that is in line with your goals.

Be sure to rave about the things you’re doing that are exciting and that demonstrate character and personal growth – these things are so valuable, and serve to inspire countless others to greatness as well as promoting your passion and thirst for life at your best. Let people know what you’re experiences are, and what key learnings you’ve derived from them – how have you grown? Share your story – we all have value to add to others through our stories of our unique perceptions of our experiences.

The more you show up as the person you want to be, the more you become everything you desire. At the very least, it’s important to be aware of how visible we all are on-line these days, so you can filter hat you share with the World and decrease the possibility of any negative content having a detrimental effect on your life, either in making new friends, building your professional network or finding your dream job.

No matter who you are, where you live or what you do – look after your personal brand, and your personal brand will look after you. Showing your true character, passion and drive through your personal brand is a great way to open doors for new and exciting opportunities in life, and it’s a fantastic way to meet like minded people who share your passion and thirst for living.

You’re amazing, and the World deserves to know about you so shout from the rooftops!

Author: PUBLISHED BY LITTLE GREY SAYS (Jamie Keeling)

Entrepreneur | Peak Performance Specialist | Martial Artist | Author | Investor 

"See it, believe it, achieve it"