This is the common denominator of success.
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This is the third issue. Past issues can be found here.
Albert E.N. Gray, a guy who worked in the insurance industry during the 1930s and 40s, delivered an address that has resonated through time: “The Common Denominator of Success.” I’m not sure how I came across it, but I bookmarked it, and recently reread it.
And Gray’s conclusion is deceivingly simple:
“The common denominator of success — the secret of success of every man who has ever been successful — lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don't like to do.”
That’s it. Just do the things that nobody else wants to do, or is willing to do. That may mean doing the dishes or taking out the trash. Or picking up the awful, time-consuming assignment at work that everybody’s been putting off all year. Whatever it is, just do it.
If Gray is right, then you’ll not only knock a task off of the to-do list, but you’ll probably earn the respect and admiration of your peers. Here are some other ways that you can differentiate yourself by taking Gray’s advice and doing what everyone else won’t:
This week:
1. Become a morning person
2. Assume the mantle
1. Become a morning person
If there’s one thing people really, really don’t like to do, it’s wake up early. But if you can train yourself to become a “morning person,” your career may benefit — that’s the conclusion of Christoph Randler, a biology professor from Germany, in a 2010 article for Harvard Business Review:
“People whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success, because they’re more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening.”
Randler says his research shows morning people are better able to anticipate and minimize problems, leading them to “better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.”
The takeaway: Night owls tend to be more fun, but morning people get things done.
2. Assume the mantle
As our boy Gray mentioned, doing the things that nobody else wants to do is a differentiator between those who are successful and those who are failures. That may not be true in every instance, but being the guy or gal who’s willing to step away from the computer, take out the trash or clean out the office refrigerator? That’s what leaders — or future leaders — do.
It may not feel like people notice, but they do. And there will be other opportunities to fill in the gaps; It won’t always involve cleaning up after people. You’ll foster a sense of respect and trust among your colleagues, and your superiors, too.
The takeaway: If something needs to be done, do it. Don’t allow yourself to think that something “isn’t your job.”
What I’ve been writing about:
I recently attended a seminar at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and professor Olivia Mitchell scared the bejeezus out of everyone by saying we should be saving as much as 40% of our income for retirement.
I looked at how NYC’s $15 minimum wage is affecting the city’s restaurants.
It’s enrollment season — so just what in the hell is a deductible, anyway? I talked to an expert for an explanation.
Once again, if you want to check those articles out and share them, I’d appreciate it.
That’s all for now. Keep fighting the good fight.
Sam
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