How often do you think about your Intelligence & your Self-Control?

Every human being possesses the seeds of intelligence and self-control at birth. To a certain degree, and the degree varies from person to person, we develop these two abilities over time. The amount of intelligence and self-control we develop determines the extent we are able to express our strengths. 

It takes drive to develop your Intelligence.

It takes drive to develop your Self-Control.

It takes even more drive to develop both Intelligence & Self-Control.

And, drive consumes energy. Drive consumes energy as it formulates thoughts in your brain. Drive consumes more energy as it converts those thoughts into action.

And, in many situations, drive consumes large amounts of energy when it converts thoughts into the non-action required when your willpower is called upon to limit behavior to satisfy your Self-Control goal.

What is your Self-Control goal?

Oh, you’ve not set a Self-Control goal.

That’s not a surprise.

Most people do not view Self-Control as a ‘general’ stand-alone trait/ability. Most people only consider Self-Control as it can be applied in ‘specific’ situations. Most people do not cross-pollinate their specific and relatively small Self-Control wins.

Most people do not set the Self-Control bar high enough.

You do not have to be like most people.

It is a matter of choice.

Self-Control, one of our greatest gifts, is a matter of choice.

What Self-Control do you choose?

A few years ago, I wrote a little piece titled “Driven to Construction”. It considered the 3 forces that drive entrepreneurs:

1. A burning desire to achieve,
2. A burning desire to create and build things of value, &
3. A need to be recognized as a different type of contributor.

Some key thoughts:

Entrepreneurs are driven to innovate and construct products and services; entrepreneurs are absorbed in creating new products and services, which must contain value for others. Invention on its own is not enough. Inventors are a different breed of cat. Innovators make adjustments to existing ‘methods & ways’ in order to deliver new forms of value to other people, especially clients.

Entrepreneurial drive may contain an inventor flavour; entrepreneurial drive must contain an innovation flavour.

Entrepreneurial drive is a most-important source of economic growth. Entrepreneurial drive is a key to re-energizing economic growth and to sustaining economic growth. Entrepreneurial drive is fundamental to individual businesses’ health and wealth.

The entrepreneurial dilemma...it is difficult to institutionalize the entrepreneurial way of doing business. In other words, the entrepreneur has it but has trouble passing it on to others. In fact, it seems impossible to generate an entrepreneurial spirit in someone who doesn't possess the 3 forces outlined above.

So, if you are an Entrepreneur and you are having difficulty spreading it to others then consider their internal drivers:

1. Are they Achievers?
2. Are they Builders?
3. Do they stand out as Different?

Achievers: the existence of the drive is more important than its specific direction...it is much easier to focus or re-focus a strong drive to achieve than it is to create a strong drive to achieve.

Builders: the existence of the drive is more important than its object...it is much easier to focus or re-focus a strong drive to build than it is to create a strong drive to build.

Different: many entrepreneurs are odd characters, who are very comfortable with the fact they are not viewed as standard/normal/average people. They notice how others perceive them. They are motivated if not delighted by the fact they are viewed as a different type of contributor.

More about the entrepreneurial dilemma…many entrepreneurs and many organizations struggle to build a culture of entrepreneurship. Some people, including some entrepreneurs and leaders, argue it is not even possible to build such a culture because entrepreneurs are born, not made. Regardless, few deny the pace of business-change is fast and innovation is an essential ingredient of business success. So, whether or not your business culture becomes truly entrepreneurial or falls short of that mark, it is essential to focus on building a culture that promotes innovation:

• Innovation that allows your business to attract and impress ideal clients
• Innovation that breeds confidence greater than that possessed by your competition
• Innovation that maximizes your people’s ability to be self-motivated

To do this, take a close look at yourself and take a close look at your key people. Never lose track of the fact that small adjustments within the leadership team can generate positive change throughout an organization.

As you take a close look at yourself and the people on your leadership team consider:

• Intelligence,
• Self-Control, &
• Drive.

These 3 attributes are the vital ingredients. Seek them out. Build on them. 

When that need to criticize visits...

STOP!

THINK - what is about to happen?

I mean - really THINK about WHY you are about to deliver this piece of Criticism.

What gratification are you seeking?

Are your expectations are reasonable?

Are your expectations fair?

Or, are you simply acting out another piece of bad behaviour? Is another bad habit about to illustrate its control over you?

Or, is this need to criticize about how smart you are and how ambitious you are…is it about proving that to others?

Certainly by now you must have learned salty & stinging criticism does not work.

Or, are you incapable of learning such simple lessons?

Are you destined to continue to make the same mistakes over and over and over again?

Is that the extent of your self-control?