Ernie O Dacumos Extraordinary results mean doing something extraordinary, this is a phrase that a friend of mine shared with me a while back. Something that I wanted to share with you as well. I would also like to give you an update on our progress. Every year the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team hosts a conference called “International Maxwell Conference” (IMC), this conference is held twice a year. One is in March, the other is in August and I always make it a point to attend the event every August.
I attended my third IMC this year and this one was pretty special because I get to see the people I met online in person and reunite with the great friends I met in my first year of being a Maxwell Leadership Certified Member.
These individuals are extraordinary, and they live a remarkable life. We all share the same Maxwell DNA which is, “People of value, who value people, and add value to them.” That is not all, I got to spend it with my accountability partner Carolina Zuniga. She and I were reminiscing as we walked the hallways, asking if the conference that we attended was a cult. It was unusual for us to see that everyone was so happy, helpful, and positive and we were scared. We didn’t know what to do, or what to expect. I remember being so emotional when I was checking in because it was that defining moment and week when I would be a certified speaker.
We were nobodies, we didn’t know anyone, no one knew us and pretty much didn’t know anything, but we were both there because we believed in the process, we believed in the product and we believed that we had a voice to share.
Three years later, we got to come back and reap the rewards of our hard work, dedication, and growth. Carolina and I weren’t just two nobodies anymore, we were known, we were seen and not to mention loved and appreciated.
And yours truly did a thing. Part of the conference is being able to speak on the big stage… it is called, “Stage Time.” Mind you it is a hybrid conference where people around the world can attend in person and online. The in-person attendance is about 3000 plus, online is unlimited and there are about 52,000 Maxwell Leadership Team members.
Now, to speak on that stage, you have to go through an elimination process from hundreds of videos sent to our Speaking Mentor Mr. Roddy Galbraith, of those hundreds of videos, 35 will be chosen to make it to the Semi-Finals, and from that 10 Finalist will be chosen to speak on the stage. Last August, I attempted to compete and made it to the semi-finals but not on the stage. This year, I tried again, tweaked my story, and made it to the top 10 finalists, and yes, spoke on that stage in front of thousands of people.
I am not sharing this to brag, but to inspire you that if you have a burning desire to do something, remember, “Extraordinary results means doing something extraordinary.” I spoke on that stage, talked about a topic that I love the most, and shared on this blog… Confidence (feel free to read it again after this post).
Opportunities don’t come while we’re sitting on the couch doing nothing, opportunities come because we work hard.
“Well, Ernie, how do you do extraordinary things?”, you may ask. I am sharing them below:
How do you do extraordinary things?
Commitment
Doing extraordinary things cannot be done without commitment. I am sure you have an idea or a dream that you want to achieve. So, I challenge you to commit to it. I did not make it to stage time last year but promised myself that I would try again this year. Despite the crazy roller coaster schedule that I have and my priorities, I made it a priority to submit my videos.
And to be honest, the first video that I sent did not qualify as a winning video, so I had to rewrite the entire speech, record and go from there. Enough reason for me to stop… but I moved forward with it. It took a lot of effort for me because I could not find the time, but it bugged me not to do it because I promised myself that I would do it. The commitment was with me, so I had to do it.
Consistency
Keep at it. My mentor John C. Maxwell said, “Do not underestimate the compounding effect of consistency.” Consistency means consistently committing to the things that you said you would do. Consistently improving your craft. Showing up consistently. That is where growth happens.
Collaborate
You don’t have to do it alone. I get it, sometimes, we feel like it’s better to do it alone. I know this because I am an introvert, I would prefer to do things on my own, but we cannot. It takes a mentor to get you through the journey. It takes a great friend to remind you to be humble. And an army to get you where you aim to be.
Celebrate
As you do extraordinary things, you must celebrate your wins. Always celebrate your wins regardless of whether it’s big or small. You deserve to be celebrated.
And that is how you do extraordinary things. You see there is nothing special about it, it’s pretty laid out actually, it only becomes difficult when we overanalyze. When we let fear take over and listen to others who don’t have the results that wanted.
So, today, I challenge you to do extraordinary things, and apply the 4 Cs! Commit to whatever it is that you have a burning desire to achieve. Consistently taking action towards it, regardless if the action is small, it’s better than doing nothing at all. Collaborate with others, do not hesitate to ask for help. It’s okay not to know everything, that is why we leverage other people’s expertise. Lastly, Celebrate… You. Your wins, your results, your triumphs, your achievements. You deserve to be celebrated.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with others, it’s the only way we can spread the value to others. Always remember…
Be Bold,
Be Radiant,
Be Confidently… You
