

With Character, On Your Way To Leadership!
Unbeatable Mind: Forge Resiliency and Mental Toughness to Succeed at an Elite Level by Mark Divine provides methods and strategies to:
A person with an unbeatable mind is always original, cultivates excellence, seeks to magnify his or her potential and hates mediocrity.
In addition, an unbeatable mind follows universal laws and truths, is resilient, has great character and leadership qualities.
Furthermore, an unbeatable mind avoids group-thinking, procrastination and inaction.
According to Divine, it is imperative that you gain mental control, acquire mental toughness and develop leadership qualities.
Spending time alone and in silence, quieting your mind is discouraged in Western society.
We are rarely, if ever, encouraged to spend time in silence or get to know the depth of our character. - Mark Divine Click To Tweet
People are therefore prone to negative thinking. However, negativity destroys performance and brings down your energy.
In order to find a positive focus and gain mental control:
Mental toughness is sustaining positive focus on one task, on the one thing that keeps you going.
Mental toughness helps you concentrate on your tasks for long periods of time without any distractions.
To develop mental toughness:
According to Mark Divine, Warriors are those who have achieved mental control and mental toughness.
They have learnt to discipline their mind so they can focus on the things that matter most, maintain positive focus when they need it most, avoid being distracted by negative emotions and negative beliefs.
Since the Warrior is committed to mastering himself or herself, he or she has mastered the following disciplines:
Warriors with unbeatable minds:
Unbeatable Mind: Forge Resiliency and Mental Toughness to Succeed at an Elite Level by Mark Divine is a great guide for being and maintaining positivity no matter what.
Mark Divine gives sound and practical advice, using his 20 years of experience as a Navy Seal.
Mark Divine applies what he learnt with the NAVY to his regular life and work. He teaches you how to:
Unbeatable Mind: Forge Resiliency and Mental Toughness to Succeed at an Elite Level is useful for leaders, corporate teams and all those who want to condition their mind, body and soul.
I definitively loved the military aspect, principles and parallels in the book. However, because of his experience, some of his analogies are extreme and unrelatable.
Consistency is the omnipotent force behind change.
We are rarely, if ever, encouraged to spend time in silence or get to know the depth of our character.
Negativity destroys performance in the short term and precludes success and happiness in the long term.
Lack of meaning and purpose is a major cause of despair and despondency in the world.
Mark Divine is a retired Navy SEAL Commander and founder of the leadership development program Unbeatable Mind.
Mark Divine is also the author of Unbeatable Mind: Forge Resiliency and Mental Toughness to Succeed at an Elite Level.
You do not have to be famous, be a millionaire or own a company in the Fortune 500 to be a successful leader.
A successful leader runs a successful business with a healthy return on investment with the help of a successful team.
A successful leader is able to mentally, emotionally, physically and financially provide for his or her team.
Wondering what are the main traits a successful leader?
To become a successful leader, there are a few traits that you need to develop.
The traits of successful leaders can be acquired anytime in life.
However, it is up to you to maintain them. It will also require a lot of self-discipline, self-motivation and self-awareness.
First and foremost, successful leaders are morning people.
They get a good night sleep.
They wake up early in the morning.
They choose to rise with the sun because it gives them time to think, to meditate, to plan their day.
Furthermore, they eat well and on time.
They exercise early in the morning to maintain their physical health, and to get rid of lingering negativity.
They have the conviction that they are successful and that they will succeed no matter what.
Their conviction comes from their self-awareness, drive, purpose and their strong core values.
They have integrity and hold on to their principles.
They know that they can accomplish anything that they set their mind to.
They rely on their intuition, make their own opinion and don’t follow anyone.
They know how to manage their time and prioritize their tasks.
They are willing to handle the most difficult, most important and the most urgent first.
They say no to things that don’t matter to them or to things that don’t fit into the bigger picture.
They regularly spend time alone to reflect and to get work done.
Indeed, they make mistakes.
They can admit when they have done wrong and can apologize for it.
They reward themselves for their successes and above all learn from their failures.
They take risks, get out of their comfort zones, recognize what works and what doesn’t.
They ask for feedback, actively listen to it, and if the feedback is sound, seek to apply it.
They have set clear boundaries in their mind early on.
They know what they need, want, wish for.
They also know what they will not allow or stand for.
They know how to say no and stand their ground.
Leaders spend their time obsessing positively.
By “obsessing positively”, I mean they are passionate and they can focus their attention on their goals for a prolonged amount of time.
Basically, they eat, drink, sleep, think their goals.
Even though they can obsess over their professional goals, they make time for a personal life.
They make sure to maintain a healthy work life balance.
They are grateful for what they have but are not complacent.
They do not dwell on negativity and CHOOSE to focus on positivity.
They don’t overthink or overanalyze everything.
They don’t play the victim and take responsibility for their actions.
They handle change, failures and pressure gracefully.
They see challenges as an opportunity to learn and they maintain a positive attitude in adversity.
Their self-esteem does not depend on what others think of them.
They don’t compare their lives with the ones of other people.
They don’t judge but empathize with other people.
They don’t insult but compliment people.
They don’t abuse their authority or power.
They don’t hug the spotlight but give credit when credit is due.
They do not need to harm someone else to feel superior or to feel whole.
They know who, how and when to forgive.
Moreover, they want to see others succeed. They encourage others to grow, to succeed and reach their full potential.
They have a deep understanding of life and of themselves.
They can assess a situation and its outcome before engaging in it.
They have identified their purpose early in life and every decision that they make can be justified.
They are open-minded.
They are always learning, always evolving and always growing.
They understand that learning is a never-ending process, no matter their age or status.
On the flip side, they constantly want to share their knowledge with the world.
Successful people inspire and act as role models for others and for their own organization.
Therefore, be mindful of your actions and of your words.
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!
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Being a great leader depends on how well they know themselves. Leaders must make sure that they are self-aware, clearly communicate their goals and expectations, reach their goals, set high standards, expect quality work and meet deadlines, demonstrate that all their team members matter, show gratitude, don’t settle and spend time with their team.
Needless to say, a little introspection is required from time to time.
Wondering how do you become the best version of yourself?
Sometimes, we end up in or go after leadership positions but don’t understand why or how we got there.
It is always important to assess our goals, values and purpose every step of the way.
Leadership encapsulates different concepts and key competencies.
For most, leadership is the ability to wheel power, to influence people positively in order to be successful, to bring like-minded individuals together towards a common goal or vision and to translate that vision into reality.
In order to be effective you must figure out what leadership means to you.
Most people want to lead because they see themselves in power, in control, with status and doing whatever they want.
However, leaders are always held accountable for their actions, have to serve as models and have to exhibit exemplary behavior.
Without an ethical purpose in mind, they will not be able to sustain their role very long.
If you weren’t a leader, what would you do? What career would you pursue?
Do you have sufficient resources to achieve your goals and yourself?
Leaders must find at least one field in which they excel. This will develop their credibility, their confidence and will help you be of assistance to people in need.
If your leadership roles don’t correspond to your values, it is time to rethink your career.
Learning to center yourself, to choose peace of mind requires that you acquire new healthy habits and that you question your thoughts that most often are an illusion or distorted memories.
Figure out how to preserve your time and energy, how to ensure your growth, how to continually improve as a person, and how to boost your leadership self-esteem?
Some people get into positions to please their families, impress their friends or flatter their own egos.
A job or a role in which you feel boxed in is frustrating, leaves little space for you to develop your skills or maximize your strengths.
As a leader, you must project yourself in the future and visualize the legacy that you want to leave.
Integrity is currently a rare character trait and most sought after leadership attribute that can help you succeed in the workplace as much as in life.
It actually goes a long way and projects more authority and credibility than a title or a position would.
Furthermore, the team you lead, the environment that you work in is a direct reflection of you. If you want a trusting workplace, be trustworthy.
Being open to learn and to explore is detrimental to success.
To start the learning process, you can read books, take trainings and classes, and talk to people who are in positions that you aspire to.
Furthermore, you must understand that if you seek knowledge, you will never fully be an expert.
Creating work-life balance is not giving equal attention to both work and life.
But, it means that you are satisfied with your contributions to your life and work, that you are able to create a sustainable synergy between both so that you are fueled by them on a daily basis.
To do so, you must focus on the vital few and not let your career affect your personal life and vice versa.
We choose a certain career because our ever-changing needs and desires align with that particular career but not necessarily with the collective good.
In the leadership position, there is a huge discrepancy between hiring the right person with the right competencies for the job, between hiring someone with lesser competencies to feel unthreatened, between hiring someone to serve you and caress your ego.
There is also a difference between wanting the organization to succeed, wanting the team and the project to shine, and taking all the credit for someone else’s work.
Leadership style refers to the way that the leader interacts with his or her employees, influences their behavior, motivates them, make decisions for them and for the organization.
A specific leadership style can deeply influence the quality of work, the levels of commitment, the work satisfaction of both leader and employees.
We cannot control everything in our life.
However, we can control how we react to different situations, how we see ourselves and who we aspire to be.
Leaders must be able to anticipate problems and implement solutions for the future. What strategies do you apply? How do you handle bad news? How do you set boundaries? Do you encourage dissension?
There are several components to leadership. One of them is building and maintaining healthy relationships.
Leaders are responsible for the people they hire and the people that they lead. How do you build your team?
Cultural sensitivity is being aware that everyone is different.
It means being able to learn from different people, to understand their backgrounds, to collaborate and cooperate with them, without being judgmental.
Failures don’t directly lead to success but it can show you the way. It is best when your mistakes come to light rather than going unnoticed.
It is important to recall the time you have succeeded and demonstrated great leadership.
The memory of past success will serve you right when you face challenges. If you did it once, then you can do it again.
Mentorship is usually the realization of leadership.
It is similar to tutorship, to parenthood, to partnership, or to an alliance.
Delegating increases employee empowerment and talent engagement, leads to higher levels of commitment, innovation, motivation, and better relationships..
As a leader, your behavior in pressure moments impacts those around you and can predict their performance.
The ability to anticipate, to solve problems, to make quick and sound decisions will determine the success of a leader.
Effective communication skills will improve your leadership credibility, your self-confidence, your relationships with others, your feelings of belonging and will decrease your stress level.
Your communication skills will also drive change and increase team motivation.
Using those skills, leaders should be pushing a vision for their life, for their family or their organization and it shouldn’t matter whether they have the right relationships, enough money, enough favors, or have hired people with the desired skill set.
Leaders don’t have the luxury to procrastinate because it is similar to self-sabotage. However, they are all subject to it to some extent.
Being organized, methodical, pragmatic will help you gain a sense of satisfaction and will increase your chances of success.
It is critical to have a role model who will help you improve, achieve your goals and will show you your life purpose.
Your role model is authentic, relatable and can be a family member, a friend in your entourage or someone you barely know.
Change is a part of life, is a constant and is inevitable. Change shakes things up, disrupts old habits, breathes new life into the workplace and into any project.
Leaders must visibly act out the change, must be ready to do things differently and to think otherwise.
You can’t always find out what you like but life has a funny way of putting you in front of the things that you hate the most.
Accepting criticism implies that you are able to listen, accept people point of view and give feedback as well.
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!
Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.
The workplace can help us realize our potential but it can also trigger fight or flight responses in us, bring out our innermost insecurities. At work, as leaders so many things threaten our career goals, our promotions, our desires for success, our relationships and most importantly our sanity.
Leaders constantly feel the pressures of keeping up, of always being on top of everything. It is even a requirement that leaders project confidence, demonstrate optimism, or remain stoic in the face of events.
However, sooner or later, we end up sacrificing what we value most, solely keeping up with appearances, looking busy but being unproductive, spreading ourselves thin, doing sloppy work and not caring about people.
Wondering what strategies to use to improve your well-being and work-life balance?
Work is part of life: we spend most of our waking hours at work more than anything else. Needless to say, work and life are not opposite nor are they inseparable: lack of work-life balance has direct repercussions on our health, finances and families, creates fatigue, poor judgement, poor performance, high emotions.
Creating work-life balance is not giving equal attention to both work and life. But, it means that you are satisfied with your contributions to your life and work, that you are able to create a sustainable synergy between both so that you are fueled by them on a daily basis.
A healthy work-life balance can be motivated by life changing events or by a desire to do better. Work-life balance involves wise time management, self-discipline, and creates a better quantity to quality ratio.
Balancing work and life is hard but achievable because time is limited and we want to maximize our time the best we know how.
A healthy work-life balance is an issue that mostly plagues millennials. To them, work should be enjoyable, emotionally and financially rewarding.
In many ways, it forces us to redefine success, our career and our relationships. It also helps us fulfill our needs, give us a profound sense of satisfaction, and become the best version of ourselves.
It allows you to create intention: you move with a clearly defined purpose. It is essential to manage your time and resources, level of commitment, to invest most of them in yourself and not in someone else’s dream.
It has the ability to increase job satisfaction, well-being, sense of self, self-awareness, effectiveness, adaptability, resilience, and creativity. It provides the tools to improve work performance, to revamp health, to maintain relationships, to appropriately deal with stress, and to avoid burnout.
Sometimes we are unable to distance ourselves from work because we feel indispensable to the organization, we feel threatened, or replaceable. Furthermore, achieving work-life balance is hard: some people, mostly high achievers, can feel guilty for taking time off and not investing it in their work.
However, an unhealthy work-life balance can lead to burn out, can trigger unexpected emotional outburst, heavily strain your physical and emotional well-being.
Burnout is hard to recover from. It hits you unexpectedly but is actually a slow burning process. Burnout is caused by overworking yourself, by a lack of recognition, by a lack of validation and chronic stress. It translates itself into feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness, dissatisfaction, despair, depressions, low self-esteem, feelings of being stuck and of failure.
In addition, it is detrimental to understand that living to work or sacrificing health and energy is not the way to succeed. To successfully create a healthy work-life balance:
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!
Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.
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