I’ve been a member of the Academy team for almost 10 years. When I stop to think about what has impacted me the most, one of the first things that comes to mind is what I’ve picked up at our Peak Performers Meetings. Let me offer a little background about the program. Our Peak Performers Program is for Academy Members who are looking to accomplish more personally and professionally by entering a coaching program that is run by our Co-Founders, Robert Armstrong and Sanford M. Fisch. The Peak Members still have regular coaching calls with their Practice Building Consultant at the Academy, but they are looking to have intense focus and accountability from their peers in the Peak Group as well as our Co-Founders.
I knew my role in this program would be to coordinate the logistics of the meeting space and look after our Peak Performers and Co-Founders to make sure they had a great meeting. I never thought I’d get to have my own version of the “Peak Experience.” I didn’t think the content would resonate with me. I didn’t expect to be inspired. I didn’t think observing these meetings would change how I view the world. I was wrong.
I didn’t suddenly transform from an event planning professional into a lawyer. Rather, I realized the key to any successful person, regardless of their profession, is how they live their life day to day.
Here are three tips I picked up and wanted to share with you:
- Mindset – What does mindset have to do with business? Everything. How you look at life, obstacles, and challenges will shape the outcome. If things are not going your way, what can you do to change the course? If you’re not happy with your current situation, what are you going to do to fix it? If you wallow or just flounder when times are tough, you’re not able to push forward and have a breakthrough. Watching the coaching in these meetings and seeing a challenge transform into an “a-ha!” moment of clarity for one of our Members has inspired me to look at my mindset and views.
- Surround Yourself with Successful People – Why is this important? You’ll learn from them, be inspired by them and want to better yourself. Part of the magic is the group dynamic in these coaching sessions. Peers can point out blind spots or help flesh out ideas based on their own past experience. You can also learn from their habits. How do they keep up their energy and stamina? Is it through their morning workout or what they are eating? These small things can add up to big differences, so why not learn tips from people you respect and admire?
- Desire to Learn More – You need to be constantly learning and growing. More times than I can count, I have witnessed successful attorneys chit chatting about the books they read that have made an impact on their business. Attendees share tips from webinars they’ve watched. The underlying thing I noticed from those who are most successful was the need to grow. They are constant learners, not because they have to be, but they want to be.
We are gearing up for our February Peak Meetings. I look forward to more lessons learned and a few more tips I can take home.
So here’s my take away for you: Always be on the lookout for opportunities to learn and grow when you least expect them. Even better, seek out opportunities to push yourself. You’ll be glad you did!
Erin Mathew
Associate Director, Projects and Event Planning
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com
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