20 Harsh Truths I Know at 47 I Wish I Knew at 27
Eric Partaker, award winning coach and mentor to CEOs and leaders throughout the world, shares with us the harsh truths he knows at 47 that we wishes he knew at 27. We love each and everyone of these. Take a read and tell us which is your favourite.
1) As a leader or manager, when something isn’t going to plan, the first step is to look into the mirror.
2) Business can be ruthless. Even if you play fair, don’t expect others to do the same.
3) Unlocking your full potential may alienate you. Not everyone will understand or support your drive.
4) “Resilience” isn’t good enough. You must go beyond “resilient”. You must become “antifragile”, whereby the more hits you take the stronger you become.
5) Your journey will be paved with failures, rejections, and heartbreaks. You’re either winning or learning.
6) Leadership isn’t about power, control, or status. It’s about serving others, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient.
7) The world is non-linear. 20% of your actions will create 80% of your results. 20% of the people in your life will lead to 80% of your opportunity. It’s your job to identify the 20%.
8) It’s just as important to decide who you will no longer spend time with, as it is who you will.
9) Your job isn’t to master everything. Your job is to correctly identify that which should be mastered – and then find the person who’s 10x better than you at doing it.
10) Amateurs believe that feeling generates action. Professionals flip the script and know that action generates feeling. Make a decision to “Turn Pro” and take action, whether you feel like it or not.
11) To unlock your full potential, you’ll have to face your own demons. It’s an inner journey as much as it’s an outer one.
12) Perfectionism is nothing more than procrastination in disguise. Practice deliberately “shipping before you’re ready”… that speech, that product, that plan, that presentation.
13) If you’re given 5 extra minutes on your deathbed you won’t use it to close another deal. You’ll hug your loved ones a little longer. You’ll tell them how much you love them. How much you care. Remember this, today.
14) Doing your best on the health and home fronts requires intentionality. Define what best looks like in each. And evidence it daily.
15) Relentless consistency and hard work are cornerstones of success. If you’re not where you’d like to be you’re probably not ticking both of those boxes.
16) Leadership includes making tough, unpopular decisions. It’s less about being liked and more about being genuinely respected.
17) Business isn’t about making money. It’s about creating value. When you focus on value, the money follows.
18) Great leaders listen more than they speak. They appreciate the value of understanding different perspectives.
19) You honestly have no clue what you are capable of. Your full potential is far beyond what you believe it to be. Don’t limit yourself.
20) As a leader you must role-model the behaviours you want to see. Don’t expect reliability if you’re unreliable yourself.
About Eric Partaker
Eric has been named “CEO of the Year” at the 2019 Business Excellence Forum, one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs in the UK”, 35 and under, by Startups Magazine, and among “Britain’s Most Disruptive Entrepreneurs” by The Telegraph. His work has featured on over 7 major TV stations, in the Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. He has also appeared as a guest judge on The Apprentice with Lord Alan Sugar.
Over the last 20 years Eric has advised Fortune 50 CEOs while at McKinsey & Company, helped build Skype’s multi-billion dollar success story, founded several companies, and helped scale over 100.
Eric has completed a coaching certification and apprenticeship with Professor BJ Fogg, who leads Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab. He also continues to research evidence-based studies in psychology, neuroscience, habit change, leadership, and peak performance.
Eric coaches and mentors CEOs and leaders throughout the world, helping them reach peak levels of performance, in both their businesses and lives. He draws from his world-class work experiences, cutting-edge research, and behavioral science from Stanford University – as well as the approaches and techniques used in the worlds of elite sports and the military – areas where peak performance is key.
Follow Eric on LinkedIn for more content like this.