The How.

Two Girls are standing on a stage. One of them is smiling but sad. The other is crying but happy. Why?

This was one of the first questions I was asked when I entered into the world of franchising. The answer, for those who do not know, is a beauty pageant. It took me a while and I muttered half answers before it finally clicked. Looking back it did not really matter what my answer was. It was more about how I got to that conclusion.

So often in interviews and in conversation, we are focused on getting it “right” and not the process in how we got there in the first place. Do not hear me wrong, getting it done right is important. However, to me, how is what sets you apart. Take running a marathon for example. I should note this is something I will never do. If two people finish at the same time, and one of them trained months to complete their first one and the other just got up and ran it without any training, we look at them differently. Effort and heart matter.

I have the pleasure of visiting with highly accomplished individuals every day. It is exciting to hear the pride they have in their accomplishments. What sets a good candidate apart from the great is how. What did they do to succeed? Who did they help on the way up? What impact did it make?

I encourage you today to think about if life is happening to you or if you are happening to your life.