Laws Of Success: 80% Is Showing Up

“Eighty percent of success is showing up”, so says Woody Allen.

Sometimes it’s hard to show up when:

• we would prefer to be someplace else
• we are tired, or not at our best
• we have been there before and got nothing out it
• it’s out of the way, and it’s snowing
• it was a long day at work, and we would rather go home

I am certain we could have a brainstorming session and make a long list of reasons not to show up.

What if, instead, we shared our stories of when we did show up and were surprised by what came from the experience?  Here’s a beginning list of a few of my ‘success’ stories:

• I was invited to an event, I didn’t want to go because I knew no one. I went anyway and the result was a reconnection with an old friend and a business opportunity.
• We were on our way home and my partner suggested we search for a place we heard about. Normally, I would resist, this time I said yes. We had a great experience and unexpectedly, we met the owner of the business who may well become a client.
• 6 years ago, I was checking references on a prospective executive for a client. I got into conversation with the guy’s boss and ended up meeting him. Turns out he was a Vistage member, encouraged me to become a Chair and gave me the name of his Chair to call.  I made the call and the rest, as they say, is history.

What are your stories? Please share your comments.

Elisa K. Spain