My friend and colleague, author Steve Chandler, divides leaders and business owners into two groups, the OWNERS who take charge of their businesses and their lives, (or as I refer to them in my book, The High Diving Board, the “Action Heroes,”) and the VICTIMS, the ones who want to blame what’s happening ‘out there’ for everything that happens.
Chandler identifies these two groups by the language they use. Which of these phrases sounds like things you say?
| OWNER | VICTIM |
| You can count on it | I will try |
| I’ll take the first small action | This is so (impossibly) big |
| What can I do? | Who can I blame? |
| We | They |
| How can I use this? | Why does this always happen? |
| I want to (intend to)… | I should… |
| I use life | Life uses me (life is unfair) |
| Get from | Get through |
| Commitment means “decision” | Commitment means “feeling” (comes and goes) |
| I don’t need a reason to be happy |
People, places and things make me happy |
| If there’s a problem, I’m the problem |
There shouldn’t be problems |
| Who do I need to be right now? | Why am I the way I am? |
| I’m focused |
I am swamped |
Owners tend to be successful because they know that no matter what goes on ‘out there’ their job is to ride it, deal with it, and use it. Victims use what goes on ‘out there’ as the reason they’re not getting where they want to go.
When I work owners, I help them clear the obstacles in in their way. When I work with victims, I help them change the way their world is occurring to them.
Either way, sometimes magic happens.
Contact me if you want help to own the success of your business…or your life.
And in the meantime, keep REACHING…
