Prerequisites to create Blue Print for Success

1. Own your brand

You are your brand, and people respond to it–both good and bad. Make sure your brand projects the person you really are, and own it in every way–in your face-to-face interactions, on paper, and online.

2. Prioritize relationships

Life, career, and business is all about building relationships with others. Find mentors who can show you the ropes and open doors for you, and earn sponsors–higher-ups who will pull you up to the next level–by working hard and working smart. Make building a strong, diverse, and lasting network of relationships a priority in your work and personal life.

3. Declare specific goals

Everyone needs goals in their life, whether it’s earning a raise, starting a successful new business, or stressing less over the small stuff. Once you have a goal picked out, declare it to yourself and to others, then work backwards to understand the path you’ll need to follow to achieve it.

4. Get more experience

The more experience you have in a particular subject or business area, the more valuable you are to your current employer, and to prospective employers. Keep learning to keep earning.

5. Develop executive presence

There’s a reason why top leaders and executives are seen by others to be leaders–they have the kind of executive presence that people who work for them respond to. Work on developing executive presence–being the kind of leader that other people want to follow.

6. Feedback: Ask for it and share it

Feedback is the breakfast of champions. Only through feedback can you improve and get better. If you’re not getting feedback, ask for it. If you’re getting feedback, use it to change and improve for the better.