While attending a Zig Ziglar seminar when I was in my early 20’s, Zig asked the audience the question “How many of you work for yourselves?” As everyone looked around, the number of people holding their hand in the air was very small. Those not holding their hands up in response to the question most likely experienced a little envy believing that the people holding their hands up owned their own business, which meant perceived success.
Zig, seeing the meager response followed up proclaiming to all of us “Now, that was a trick question. I want you to think about what I’m really asking, and how it relates to each of you, and I’m going to ask you again “How many of you work for yourselves?” It was fascinating to observe what happened next. The hands going up in the air began to slowly gain momentum until near every person in attendance now clearly understood the purpose behind the question that had been asked. Zig was smiling so wide he could have eaten a banana sideways. He had made his point that we ALL work for ourselves regardless of where and how we’re employed. That single perspective shift changed my life.
Every morning I’ve awoken since that seminar, I’ve begun my day with the knowledge that I am the person in control of the level of my success with the job I currently have. Armed with a positive attitude, my best effort, and a desire to utilize my God-given talents, I’ve embraced the mentality that I will be successful this day in whatever I attempt. This has worked wonderfully for me for decades now, which is why I’m sharing it today with you.
If you’re saying to yourself “Hey Paul, I don’t really go for this mamby-pamby positive thinking stuff.” My response will always be “You should” and here’s why. All that needs to shift in your mind is your perspective. It doesn’t cost you anything and yet, provides incredible positive results in not only your life, but in the lives all the people you’re surrounded by. That includes your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and literally every person you come in contact with throughout each day. That makes it the bargain of a lifetime. All you have to do is embrace a simple shift in perspective and believe that you actually work for yourself.
And there’s a huge life-changing bonus that comes with this new perspective. When you wake up each day believing that you work for yourself, you begin to develop a deeper belief in who you are and what your purpose is in the world. You also begin to embrace the fact that your life matters. Not just to yourself, but to every person you come in contact with. Why? Because every interaction we have with others can’t result in a neutral experience. The experience either advances or declines in their mind and in your own.
There’s more. Believing in yourself and believing that you work for yourself with near complete control over your destiny plays a huge positive role in every area of your life. It’s like your life is represented by a massive boulder named “Positive Momentum” that’s rolling down a long slope at an ever-faster pace of personal success. When you work for yourself, every action you take adds to the momentum of self-improvement you experience. Every day you just keep on getting better and better at whatever you attempt. And you know what? That’s a super exciting way to live life. You gain the ability to create joy out of next to nothing…and have fun doing it.
Going back to the original question Zig asked of us that day, we were all kind of experiencing a set thought pattern that people that own their own businesses are lucky because they have complete control over their destiny and that’s why they’re willing to work harder than the rest of us. They directly reap the rewards of their actions. But when he asked us the question the second time, it became an “AH-HA moment” for all of us that suddenly realized that we ALL reap the rewards of our actions and that we are the people that have the greatest control over our own personal destiny. With that perspective shift, we also realized that we all had the ability to work harder, smarter, and longer than we had in the past. Especially knowing that the greatest rewards are attributed to those with the greatest attitude and effort.
There’s one more benefit that comes from the “I work for myself” mentality. The greatest benefit of all may be that you develop a self-accountability mindset propelling yourself beyond the expectations of others. You’re no longer worried about meeting someone else’s goals because the goals you set for yourself lift you higher than the goals other’s set for you.
Now, I’m politely asking that you take this “I work for myself” perspective out for a test drive. All that’s required is that you contemplate what you can do different…no, what you can do BETTER with all that you do. At work, what specific efforts could you introduce to what you already do. At home, realizing that all of your actions result in positive momentum for the life that you live, come up with an action plan of ways to improve who you are and what you do each day around the people that mean the most to you. I can promise you that positive change will occur in every area of your life if you’ll try. And if you’ll sincerely try, I know you’ll succeed. I’m proof. Like I said above, that single perspective shift changed my life when I was in my 20’s and I’ve reaped the rewards ever since. I hope you do too! Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!