Making an impact, making a huge difference, leaving a legacy… that is something near and dear to my heart. I have lots of stories about this.
I’ve had clients who, because they implemented EOS®, were able to free up so much of their time that they’ve been able to adopt children, spend time in soup kitchens, and teach at colleges. But for this post, I decided to tell a more personal story — mine.
Lifting Others Up
I grew up very poor. We would get our food at the Salvation Army and our clothes at Goodwill. I would have powdered milk to put in my cereal. Our cars were repossessed and my parents lost the house. Let me step back and share some background here…
My dad grew up in a circus family. My grandfather was seven times the greatest juggler in the world. My aunts and uncles are in the International Circus Hall of Fame in Sarasota, Florida. They performed for Queen Eilzabeth at Buckingham Palace. However, my grandfather was a drunk and ended up in prison for killing two kids with his car, and my dad ended up growing up in the projects in North Hollywood, California.
When I was four, my dad found God and turned his life around, stopped drinking himself, and went on a tear, passionate about helping other people get out of the gutter. Today, my dad has helped hundreds of people find jobs and change careers. He motivates others to start businesses, including my brother and I.
When I was a teenager, he’d read How to Win Friends and Influence People and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People to me and my brother. He positively impacted my life and the lives of hundreds, if not thousands more.
That’s making a huge difference in the world. Everyone wants to leave a legacy. Everyone wants to make an impact. For my dad, it was helping and motivating people to create a bigger future than their past. What will be yours?
Decide To Make A Huge Difference
The first step in identifying how you’re going to make a huge difference is by defining, then writing down, your Core Focus™ — your purpose or cause, your passion — along with your niche (the thing that differentiates you as a business or what you do better than anyone else).
Next, you’ll want to define your 10-Year Target™ or your core target. I want you to write yours down. And if you haven’t done the work to define your core focus and your 10-Year Target, please find an EOS Implementer® to help you do that work. It will make a big difference for you.
Once your Core Focus and your core target are crystal clear, your entire organization is going to start to act differently. You will act differently. Every decision you make has to further that Core Focus as you get closer to your 10-Year Target. Note that the right Core Focus and the right core target will create this energy and will provide forward momentum in your entire business.
One thing that I’ve noticed working with clients is that if they have a 10-Year Target that’s revenue-based, say, “$100 million in revenue by 2030.” In most organizations, that’s not going to juice up the entire company. It might do something for the owners or for the leadership team, but chances are it’s not going to impact or energize the entire business. So I would encourage you to look at a core target that engages the entirety of the organization, where every single person knows their role in moving the ball forward in achieving the goal.
Making A Difference In The Lives Of Others
A quick story about making an impact and part of the reason why I’ve been drawn to EOS and why I’m here in this Visionary role. I was implementing with a client in their office and at a break, I headed for the restroom. On my way, someone grabbed me from behind by an older gentleman. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get punched or tackled to the ground
But he looked at me and said, “I just wanted to let you know that for the first time in 26 years, I look forward to coming to work. The leadership team no longer tolerates poor performers or people who don’t fit the culture. We have clear goals. We have numbers to hit and our meetings are actually interesting. We get something done, we solve real issues. I come into work every day with absolute clarity on what I’m supposed to be doing. Even my wife noticed that I’m happier now than ever before. I was thinking about taking retirement, but now I’m engaged. I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had in my company.”
And for me, that is what making an impact is all about. That’s making a huge difference. It’s about making a difference in the lives of other people at every level of the organization. I truly believe that living the EOS Life is attainable, not only for the entrepreneur, the Visionary, the Integrator, and the leadership team, but for every single person in your business.
So what huge difference are you committed to making?
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