In the early 80s, American Express ran a successful TV ad campaign with a common slogan. All commercials began with a prestigious person asking “Do You Know Me?” And they concluded with: “Don’t Leave Home Without It“. Here’s the Jim Henson edition.
There were many spoofs and parodies at the time. Although I’m arriving late to that party, here’s a new wrinkle. Since the 80s, there’s a new item to our don’t-leave-home-without-it list: Your cell phone (or smart phone) has joined the list of common daily essentials:
These are the tangible items. But we rarely think about…
May I suggest that there are some other lesser known or valued essentials that are equally important to your chances of making your day a success? I’m thinking of the 3 C’s of Success. They are:
If you leave home without these essentials, your likelihood for success is significantly reduced. Seems simple, but it’s not as easy as 1-2-3. Most of us struggle with these. So let’s briefly examine each element with some time tested wisdom.
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” – Lewis Carrol
…but it will be a long and frustrating journey.
“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you’re right”. – Henry Ford
What are those little voices in your head telling you about what is and isn’t possible?
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” – Zig Ziglar
Are you pursuing something that is “nice to have” or “must have“? If you say you must have it, do your actions match your words?
As you start to pull out of your driveway and realize you’ve left your phone behind, what do you do? What if you developed that same level of importance for the equally essential 3 C’s?
Your cell phone, keys, drivers license and credit card are all tangibles. So allow me to transfer the intangible three C’s into a more meaningful, tangible image to offer a paraphrased reminder and challenge:
The American Success Card: Don’t Leave Home Without It
When you leave home tomorrow, how much clarity, confidence and commitment will you take with you?
After further review, there is a 4th C for success.
A prospective business partner recently asked me this powerful question: “What’s it like to be coached by Tom?” Part of my answer stems from a belief in the importance of the 3 C’s. I believe it’s my job to enhance clients’ clarity, confidence and commitment. When that happens, breakthroughs are possible. So if you’d like to discuss how you can leave home more prepared, I offer a “click button” solution.
Tom Lemanski serves as an executive coach and trusted advisor to successful Chicago area executives who are driven to be more successful. Tom has developed leaders in over 60 different industries of the the past 20 years.
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One Response
My gosh, it was good to see a Jim Henson redux. What a huge loss; one of the most creative people who ever lived.
Oh, the content in the blog was terrific, too!