Fifty, 150, 500? I can’t even count the number of highly successful entrepreneurs, sales professionals and executives who’ve told me, “I feel like a fraud,” or something similar — and all these talented people had a secret. Like one very powerful businessman, whom I’ll call Dan.

Dan was a public figure who use to enjoy speaking,

If you’re not a positive deviant in your field, consider studying those who are, and then becoming one. Positive deviants are courageous people whose attitudes, behaviors and strategies dramatically increase their success over others who are in identical environments with the same opportunities. Positive deviants aren’t constrained by conventional wisdom. In fact, they understand that conventional wisdom is often the problem. Here’s one of the most profound applications of using positive deviance to save tens of thousands of kids from starving:*

This is an advanced statistical phenomenon, and it’s important to understand if you want to be a high-performer. (I’ll bet you never guessed you could be a higher performer by using a statistical phenomenon!). It essentially says that if you’re significantly different from the group you’re around, you’ll tend to become more like the group over time. I took 12 credit hours of graduate school statistics and this is the only useful concept I learned!

Dr. North’s Creed …
Be present.
Tell the truth.
Play to win.
Don’t be attached to the outcome.

The last post focused on being present. This post focuses on the second part of my creed: Tell the truth.

As a consultant, coach and husband being truthful sometimes requires finesse (especially as a husband)! Take my experience with a CEO/founder whom I’ll call Bob. Bob was an old-school leader who hired my company to change his company’s management system from command-and-control to team-based. After three years of intense work, the new system was mostly a success and the company was growing, but Bob struggled with the new system and flunked a leadership assessment.

This is the second entry on defining moments (a time when you made a life-changing decision). In this one, let’s examine defining moments when you had the choice to stay the same, or become more of who you want to be … it is a choice we continually make.

I am generally a very positive and happy person, but this wasn’t always true. In my twenties, a girlfriend broke up with me by saying, “I can’t live in your world of negativity anymore.” As I reflected on her statement, there was a painful realization that she was right. I had a choice: Do I continue on as I was, or do I have the courage to become a more positive person? I chose the latter. I even took a humor workshop to learn to laugh because I laughed so little that it was uncomfortable! I will always be thankful for my ex-girlfriend. She gave me a defining moment, a gift. Almost 30 years later, I am a positive person, laugh a lot and … I work daily to be more positive.

Would you like to be different in some way? If yes …

Have the courage to be honest with yourself, review your defining moments.
If your previous choice(s) is not helping you be who you want to be,
be courageous, make a new decision …
then work every day to become who you want to be.

Elite performers including entrepreneurs, sales professionals and athletes all have an element of boldness. For example, the destitute orphan, who didn’t even have a pair of shoes who promised himself, “I will become a world champion, move out of this country and never live in poverty again.” A bold statement for an impoverished, uneducated child. But he developed his raw talent and became a world champion in an endurance sport. He also attended college and has become a very successful businessman.

You too have genius in you … we all do, you must find it.

What bold thought or action might be genius in your life?

Learn more about TC North, Ph.D., High Performance Expert at www.courageandconfidence.com.