1) To be your best self, you have to be your authentic self. Learn to accept yourself for who you are. You might often believe you should act a certain way because of what others say, however, the only person to which you need to be true is yourself. Life is too short to live someone else’s life. Once you can be comfortable with who you are and find a place where you feel like you belong, you will be truly happy.
Filling a role unsuited for yourself could be easier or a more apparent choice. The difficulty is finding what you are passionate about and understanding who you truly are as an individual. Once you accomplish this, you will begin to flourish in whatever you choose to do with your time on this earth.
2) Surround yourself with great people. Always look to surround yourself with people who you admire and respect. In business people often say “you never want to be the smartest person in the room” and want people that will push you to be a better professional. However, I think it’s equally important, outside of one’s business, to surround yourself with those that push you to be a better person (eg, more compassionate, kind, happy, healthy, etc). No one succeeds alone so surround yourself with great people.
This is one of the toughest lessons to learn and consistently accomplish. Ego can be a huge factor is inhibiting your ability to grow. The only way to grow is to change a part of who you are; first, you must build a foundation on which this growth will take place. Having a strong foundation of friends, family, trusted advisors, mentors, and colleagues is integral to long term success in any profession.
3) Anything in the world can be taken from you, but your integrity is the only thing you can give away. Your integrity and character will be what defines you more than anything in your life. Hold it in high regard and treat it like the most valuable thing you have. Many things in your life can be taken from you – money, health, friends, however, you alone control whether you are honest, honorable, and sincere.
Integrity is more than knowing the right thing to do in a situation; it is also having the ability to carry out such behavior. Like reputation, integrity can be lost in a single moment and take a lifetime to recover. Hold your morals and standards high even when facing unsurmounted strife.
4) Do what you love and it will never feel like work. Deciding what to do with your career is not an easy choice, but it is your choice and you should make it based on what gives you energy and excitement. Finding this will mean you will be successful, because when hard work is required and adversity presents itself, the love and passion you have for your work will drive you forward always.
5) You’re not just here for yourself. Everyone you meet is dealing with issues you couldn’t possibly imagine. Be kind. Give back. Help others. Some of the greatest feelings of joy won’t come from the things you receive, but the things you give.
Give freely
Love unconditionally
Work with intensity
Change the World
“To all the fathers of Compass, I’d love to hear all the ways you’re letting your children know how much they’re loved and the advice you’re passing on to your children. And to everyone at Compass who has or had a father in their life, I’d love to hear what lessons you learned and carry with you.”
