Intelligent and successful leaders all do one thing better than anyone else. They are constantly asking themselves questions to stay relevant and insightful.
Whether you’re running a company, heading up a startup, or leading a team, asking yourself these questions every day will help you get the most out of your work and leadership and make the difference in your success.
1. Did I work toward my goals today?
Successful leaders understand the importance of goal-setting in everything from long-term vision to short-term motivation. Focusing on your goals helps you to organize your actions and make the most of your ambition and aspirations.
2. What bad habits do I need to stop?
Your bad habits–and we all have them in some form–may be damaging your credibility and your business. It is well worth putting in the daily time and effort to overcome them and replace them with things that will serve you better.
3. What motivated me today?
Motivation is the force that keeps pushing you forward. It is your internal drive to achieve, produce, and develop–and it’s always to your benefit to pay attention to the things that feed your personal motivation.
4. Have I been the kind of person I want to be?
Character rules. You’re not born with the qualities that make up your character, but they develop as you go through your experiences, your failures, and your wins. Govern your sense of responsibility and responses to events to develop the character you’d like to have.
5. What mistakes did I make today, and what can I learn from them?
We all experience failures and mistakes; it’s how you respond that makes the difference. You can choose to see failure as proof of your inadequacy, or recognize it as an incredible learning experience.
6. What am I grateful for today?
There will always be bad days and good days, bad luck and good luck. Through it all, gratitude remains among the most useful tools you can have. It shows you what really matters and what’s important, and it keeps you level-headed and focused on what is important.
If you want to create a shift in your business and your leadership, make a daily practice of asking yourself the right questions–because it is the right questions that lead us to the right answers.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.