I recently read The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. Last week I shared six tips from the book that I’ve found tremendously helpful and encouraging. In this post I share seven more. The book focuses on how to live a productive and successful life, and I believe the principles shared are especially helpful to those seeking to transition into careers we love.
1. Be a Lifelong Learner – Proverbs 4:11
Go out of your way to educate yourself and pursue personal growth. The author talked about how most people waste their lives away on frivolous activities like watching television, playing games, etc. After reading his take on this, those things seemed less appealing to me. He also talked about what he called our “education quotient vs. our “entertainment quotient” How much time are we spending educating ourselves vs. entertaining ourselves? Entertainment has its place, but what’s the ratio? Truly successful people don’t usually feel the need to be entertained all the time. They invest in learning and growing – things that pay real dividends down the road.
2. Work Hard – 2 Timothy 2:6
Hard work is a given. To excel and experience success, we must be willing to do what others will not. This means pushing through the pain of “hitting the wall,” and continuing to work even when we feel like we’ve reached our limit. Discipline and hard work are simply part of the game. I’m grateful for the reminder.
3. Find a Partner – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
The significance of accountability cannot be overstated. Whether it’s a coach, accountability partner, or friend, we increase our chances of remaining consistent when we have regular check-ins with someone who is in our corner. And speaking of coaches, Hardy emphasized that most “elite players” have one. There is no reason for us to be out here trying to learn, grow, and change on our own.
4. Mind Your Attachments – Proverbs 13:20
It is a hard saying, but true nonetheless – we are going to have a hard time excelling in our lives if we have attached ourselves to negative people who drag us down. According to Darren Hardy, part of what we must do is understand what category people rightfully belong to and keep them there. There are people we can spend 3 minutes with, but wouldn’t want to spend 3 hours with. There are others it would be safe and beneficial to spend 3 hours with, but it wouldn’t be wise to spend 3 days with. Again, there are still others it would be good to spend a day or two with, but we wouldn’t want to go beyond that. And finally, there are people we just don’t need to be around at all.
I agree with this. Of course, members of our family (or church family) do not, in my opinion, fit well into such a paradigm; and as believers, sometimes we are simply going to be called to interact with people that do not serve our best interests. That is part of esteeming others more highly than ourselves. Nevertheless, generally speaking, if we are struggling to grow and excel in our lives, the company we keep may be one of the biggest reasons why.
5. Level Up Your Exposure – 1 Corinthians 2:9
Exposure is an important part of expanding beyond our current life experiences. Hardy wrote about driving out of his way to eat in a restaurant where wealthy and highly successful people ate. He didn’t meet very many people there, but something about the ambiance and experience expanded his mind as it related to the possibilities for his own life. I’ve experienced this in my life as well. Going to different places and having new experiences can help expand our minds about what is possible.
6. Morning and Evening Routines are a Must – 1 Corinthians 6:12
Morning and evening routines need to be intentional and non-negotiable. This is Hardy’s message, and I agree with it. The truth is that, for most of us, morning and evening routines help to set us up for success. The key is deciding that we will stick with them no matter what. I have been working on this in my life recently, and I know for a fact that, for me, it is making a tremendous difference in how effective I am in all the areas of my life.
7. Be Patient – Galatians 6:9
Everybody wants to be an overnight success, but we know that is not how it really works. The most important things in life typically take time. Yes, we can sometimes accelerate the process to a certain extent by adhering to the principles I’ve already mentioned, but the author entitled his book The Compound Effect for a reason. We must learn to be content with small changes compounded over time. It may not be as much fun to think about change this way, but we must.
Maybe you are looking to transition into a whole new career but don’t know where to start. Why not start by working toward some of the suggestions Darren Hardy provides in The Compound Effect? I read it right before I launched my business, and it has been super helpful and encouraging. I actually read it again a few weeks ago for a refresher.
I would love to walk alongside you as you make your way toward the career of your dreams. Reach out today to schedule a free discovery session.
