How To Succeed As The Top 1%

If you are like me, you want to be the BEST in your field. I wrote an article on my blog I’ll reprint here for you to review:

If you want to be in the top 1% of your field, you must do these seven things:

1. Make a decision to be in the top 1% of your field. Get in line.
2. Decide to operate from INTEGRITY.
3. EMULATE the top experts.
4. Utilize techniques they use to be the BEST.
5. Use LEVERAGE to leap-frog up the "line" to the top.
6. Give more. The more you give without expectation of return, the more you will get back from the most unexpected sources. If you're pitching, make your pitch about HOW YOU HELP THEM.
7. Manage Your Money. Use money wisely.

You may notice when I talk about how to succeed as the Top 1%, I did not mention you have to be smarter, get better grades, back-stab your co-workers, or talk about how great you are. Some of these things might help; but, in all honesty, they are not required. In some cases, these things are detrimental.

Let us break down How to Success As The Top 1% a Bit More:

1. Make a decision to be in the top 1% of your field.

Why do we need to make a decision? Because we must know we wish to land before we board a plane. We must choose that path and then follow it. In any field of interest, there is a path to success. If you wish to be President, you'll likely be a Governor or Senator first. That's the path for President. If you wish to be CEO of a major corporation, you'll likely need to be Manager, Director, VP, then Sr. VP, before CEO. Unless you launch your own company, in which case you’re the CEO much sooner. Note: be careful what you ask for! If you wish to be the best in music, you first learn choose an instrument based upon your interest. Then, you join or start a band. Then you play with other bands, and you play better and better gigs and better and better bands to larger and larger crowds. This is how the best reach the top. But first, you must make a decision about what to play!

Key: When you make a decision to succeed as the top 1% in your field, you make a decision because this is equivalent to GETTING IN LINE. In High School and College, there were lines for sorts of things. You stood in line to sign up for school. You stood in line to sign up for classes. You stood in line to buy books. They even had a line for food! Well, if you wanted to get your food for a break, you had to get in line or the food hardly ever showed up (unless you asked a friend to buy for you). So, you pretty much had to get in line. Are you in line in your field? Are you participating? It starts there.

2. Decide to operate from INTEGRITY to be THE BEST.

Why does integrity influence success? Well, your character is WHO YOU ARE. Character is what defines you in moments that challenge you. Your integrity is who you are when you fail. Will you keep giving? Will you remain honest?

I read an article in Fortune Magazine last month about how Steve Jobs became the #1 CEO in the world through his excellent choices in product, marketing, and launch products like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. However, if you go back to his company, NeXT, at one point I recall reading an article back in 1992 that pointed out all the ways Steve lied about the NeXT's capabilities. If you’re a known name, someone will often track your HONESTY! Interestingly, NeXT failed as a computer company. They DID succeed as a software operating system, which parlayed Steve rejoining Apple. But, selling NeXT to Apple for the operating system was the only play left for NeXT at that time. Since then, I've noticed Steve's new integrity is to say things much more accurate about Apple products. His integrity improved, and so did his success.

What builds a business's success? Answer: your word of mouth.

Your word of mouth comes from what you do AFTER the first sale. They must first come to you the first time. Then, they must come back, and bring their friends. They will only do that if your word of mouth is solid. Your reputation comes from the quality of your work and the integrity of your character. Make both rock-solid and you will success as the top 1%.

3. EMULATE the top experts to succeed as the top 1%

I once met the top salesperson in the region at my company. I was striving, at the time, to climb the ladder at that company. When I met with this salesperson, the first thing I noticed: his dress. He dressed impeccably.

Second, I noticed he knew the industry better than anyone else. Then, he told stories and made jokes to make his point. As I picked his mind, I learned several things how to succeed. I utilized each of those techniques and rose to the best in my region that very same year.

This is what I did when I started to form the basis for content for Cold to Gold. Today, I am teaching others how to do it.

To succeed like the Top 1%, pick the mind of the best, dress like the best, and learn what they do.

4. Utilize techniques the BEST use to be the TOP 1%.

You may recall I mentioned how the “BEST” in my region told me stories and made jokes to make a point? Most CEOs use that technique, too.

Humor is a sign of creativity. There is a direct correlation between creativity and success. Therefore, become more creative. Paint. Play music. Draw. Hold "Brain Storming" sessions. Utilize your creativity to drive the quantity of ideas.

Many ideas do not work. In fact, over 90% of ideas are “bad” ideas. But the most you create, the more ideas flush out into the 10% “good” ideas. And, as you build habits of learning “good” ideas, your success will expand dramatically.

As you try more ideas, you start to learn which types of ideas DO work. As you implement those ideas, your success will skyrocket!

5. Use LEVERAGE to leap-frog up the "line" to the top.

a. LEVERAGE your contacts or network.
b. LEVERAGE your knowledge.
c. LEVERAGE your tactics.
d. LEVERAGE your attitude.
e. LEVERAGE your follow-up.

When I'm talking about LEVERAGE, there are several aspects to LEAP FROGGING. But know this: the key to get to the top 1% most quickly is LEVERAGE. Build a strong network. Build up, and build wide. Build your knowledge. What you know relates to your impact upon others. Build your tactics. As you learn new tactics, you learn new approaches to succeed. Leverage your attitude. People love positive people. Leverage your follow-up. People tend to do business with those who follow-up the BEST. The BEST follow-up and win because THEY HELP YOU REMEMBER THEM.

6. Give. The more you give without expectation of return, the more you will get back from the most unexpected sources. If you're pitching, make your pitch about HOW YOU HELP THEM.

When I talk about giving, I talk about attitude. Don't criticize people. Have you ever noticed that Hollywood actors rarely say anything negative actors? This is the key to success in your career. Be nice! Don't let people walk over you, but be nice! Give, without the expectation of return. You'll be surprised how much other people start to do things for you. This is because you built goodwill and left them with a positive impression of you or your business. The #1 most valuable thing a company owns is goodwill. The same thing holds true for individuals. You build your goodwill by "doing good" for others. So, do good. Give. Volunteer. Make the effort others don't.

7. Money. Use money wisely.

When we first start a business, we often feel like we re-entered the sales business. We sell our house, sell our belongings, sell our car!

Seriously!

When we have money, we attract more opportunities to make more money. It takes money to make more money. If you don't have money, become something. Save money. Treat your money wisely. Why does money matter? The answer is simple. Money is a form of energy. If we waste our money, then we will likely waste other energy, too. People notice waste and don’t want any part of it. So, don’t waste energy. Don’t waste money. Don’t waste time.

When you are in debt, it causes stress! You do not need the stress. So, use your money wisely - it will keep your peace of mind, your character, your health, and all these things relaxed.

And the top 1% don't waste very much money or energy. They use it wisely.

Use all these steps to propel your success into the Top 1%.

Please comment and let me know how you feel about these tips! Thanks for reading!

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