The Key to Becoming Influential
Everyone wants influence… but how do you get that?
Over the last couple of decades, people have woken up to the idea that income is not everything.
Money isn’t ultimately going to bring us satisfaction, but impact and influence will.
One of the greatest secrets that I have ever learned about becoming more influential, is something that I learned from my pastor.
My pastor told me a story about something his mentor said to him about where influence comes from.
And it was this: “You have to realize that your influence will never grow wider than your character runs deep.”
If you seek influence for the wrong reasons and you’re not a person with deep character, you’ll end up facing what I call “The Snapback.”
The Snapback is when your influence grows wider than your character runs deep and your character catches up with you.
Anybody who has had worldwide influence who had a mistake in their character and ends up making a series of compromising decisions, experiences a massive “snapback.”
That’s because people want to know that the people they give influence to are worth trusting and believing in.
At Brand Builders Group, our philosophy is to develop your character, while you wait for your influence to grow.
That’s because, in the beginning, you can make mistakes when nobody’s watching. You can screw things up and try things out.
The more your influence grows, the more eyeballs that you will have on you, and the more you’ll be under scrutiny.
So, by the time your influence grows really wide, you want to make sure that your character is deep, your systems are strong, and your philosophies are clear.
But, what can you do to deepen your character?
I’m going to give you 3 things you do RIGHT NOW to make sure your character runs deep:
Education
You should read personal development books and everything you can on leadership, character, and influence.
Here are two of mine that you can start with:
1. Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time
2. Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success
And it’s not just reading, it can be learning.
You can go to conferences, or listen to great podcasts.
Whatever medium you choose to learn from, the important thing is that you educate yourself.
Build Relationships
While you’re waiting for your influence to grow, build relationships.
The best time to build relationships is before you need them.
You don’t build trust by asking someone to do something for you the moment you need it, you build trust with people by providing value to them when you don’t need anything in return.
When you go out and make those investments, your influence grows.
Why?
Because you meet more and more influential people. And at some point, a lot of them will help YOU without asking for anything in return.
Make Good Choices
This goes back to my very first book, Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success.
“Take the stairs” is a metaphor for doing the things that you and others don’t want to do.
Most people are looking for the “escalator” or the shortcuts to success. People of influence, on the other hand, are people who “take the stairs.” They make good decisions, even when nobody’s watching.
They make good decisions, even when they are difficult.
You HAVE to be that person. You have to choose character over influence because a solid character leads to massive influence.
If you want to start getting results and gaining influence FASTER, book a Free Brand Call with one of our Personal Brand Strategists today!
