It’s Never Too Late to Raise the Bar

Three years ago, I found myself standing in the lobby of a hotel in Orlando wondering if, at this stage of my life, I had any business trying to learn an entirely new craft.

I had joined the National Speakers Association and traveled to its national convention with one purpose: to raise my bar. I had spent decades sharing stories about my journey as an artist—the bumps, bruises, failures and occasional triumphs—but I wanted to understand something more. What separates someone who simply tells a good story from someone who can truly move an audience?

Then, almost on cue, I bumped into Dr. Nido Qubein.

Nido was surrounded by colleagues, yet he spotted me, welcomed me into the group and even invited me to dinner. What he gave me that evening was more than advice about speaking. He demonstrated something every great leader eventually learns: sometimes the greatest influence we have on another person begins simply by welcoming them in.

I watched. I listened. And I learned.

Find people who raise your expectations.
Jim Rohn has become an almost daily companion in my studio. As I paint, I frequently listen to recordings of this Idaho farm boy who went broke in his early thirties and ultimately became one of America's great teachers of personal development.

His wisdom is wonderfully simple.

So did his challenge to become a millionaire—not simply for the money, but because of what you must become in order to achieve it.  Rohn wasn't really talking about money. He was talking about transformation. And isn't that ultimately what growth is about? Whether we're leading an organization, building a career or simply trying to become a better version of ourselves, the greatest investment we can make is often in the person looking back at us in the mirror.

It's never too late to become the student again.
Sometimes while listening to Rohn, I've caught myself wondering, Where was this fellow when I was 30?  Then I realize that's probably the wrong question.  Would I have listened?

Back then, I was consumed with surviving the proverbial starving-artist syndrome, raising a family, building a business and trying to prove that I could make a living with a paintbrush. Perhaps I needed those years before I was ready to understand what Rohn was teaching.

Today his words land differently. “Why? Why not? Why not now? Why not you?”

Those aren't simply motivational words to me anymore. They're a reminder that growth doesn't have an expiration date. The same is true for our organizations. Experience is valuable, but experience without curiosity can easily become complacency. The strongest leaders I've encountered continue asking questions, seeking new perspectives and surrounding themselves with people who challenge them to think differently. There is always another bar to raise.

Pass along what you've learned.
A few years ago, another mentor, professional speaker Chuck Gallagher, challenged me to write—and to write often. That encouragement eventually became my weekly article, The ART of Making a Difference.

I didn't begin writing because I thought I had all the answers. Quite the opposite. I wanted to share what I was seeing, what stirred me, and occasionally a lesson someone else had taught me that might offer someone a fresh perspective.

Perhaps that's how mentoring—and leadership—really works.

Nido influenced me by welcoming me in. Jim Rohn mentors me through recordings made decades ago. Chuck nudged me to put my own thoughts on paper. Each, in his own way, raised my bar. And eventually, we have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.

The Takeaway

Find people who challenge you to think bigger. Study them. Listen carefully. Remain teachable regardless of your age, title or accomplishments.

Then look around your organization. Who could benefit from what you've learned? Who needs encouragement? Who needs an opportunity? Who simply needs someone to welcome them into the room?

Because somewhere along life's journey, we move almost imperceptibly from student to teacher.