The 3 J’s of Success is the tenth in a series of articles to help you reach your goal. What are your goals? I know you thought about it! You know, it is your dream, wish or resolution you made! Before you can get to where you want to be, you need to know where you are going. You wouldn’t get on a bus, train or plane without knowing where it was going.
Background
When did you start making decisions? I do not know when you did, but most of us start very young. Making decisions help you improves your decision making ability because of experience. You learn from your mistakes and you make better decisions. Improving your decision making is part of judgment. Judgment is the evaluation of evidence in the making of a decision. Understanding this concept, I made sure my children made more decisions early. When my children were very young, we gave them an opportunity to make a choice between appropriate choices. Maybe it was what they wore, a toy, or a book. They made more decisions and improved their judgment.
When you set your goals, do you reward yourself for accomplishing them? I know just achieving the goal should be the reward in itself. I like rewards for doing things, however small. When I achieved financial independence, I rewarded myself with many of the status symbols that I wanted or felt I deserved. It was like winning a prize! It told me I made it. When I lost weight a long time ago, I rewarded myself by buying new clothes. The prize or jackpot is up to you.
Do you ever think about the difference a good partner makes in your success? I have had partners over the years, but my best is definitely my wife. She knows me and is supportive when I need it and probably when I don’t. A good partner is hard to find in business because of a variety of reasons. I owned a condo in Mammoth (California ski area) with two (2) other couples and I had a partner in my studio catering company. It is hard to find a good partner and it is more difficult to make decisions. A partnership in business or in a marriage is a joint responsibility.
Judgment
Do we choose to fail? Of course not! Developing our judgment takes time and practice. The more decisions you make, it is more likely you will make better decisions. How can make sure you make better decisions? Find the earliest opportunities to make decisions in a safe environment where the consequences of your decisions are small. Parents can create that safe environment where you can make many decisions and learn from your mistakes. The result is sound judgment.
Jackpot
I am not talking about gambling! I see this more like the prize or success in business. It can be the goal or what you may receive because you achieved the goal. Part of my personal motivation to reach for goals that seem impossible is to receive a reward for achieving the goal. It can be something simple such as a nice dinner or a day at the beach for doing something small. It could be something big such as a overseas trip, luxury vehicle or jewelry. It is a matter of choice. What is your jackpot?
Joint Partnership
Partners can help you achieve great things or stop you from achieving anything! A good partner is worth everything. It can be your spouse or a business partner. I am lucky or very astute, I do not know, but I found a great partner in my wife. Finding a good partner is emotional, illogical and reflects good or bad judgment. Yes, I am talking about business partners and spouses. Communication, values, emotional stability, positive attitude, integrity, maturity, judgment and confidence are just a few of the traits that help make a good partner. A typical partnership is a joint agreement which is equal participation in a venture business or marriage.
This is the tenth article in the series about success; I expect to publish throughout 2012. There will be twenty-six (26) of them, one for each letter of the alphabet. The 3 J’s of success are judgment, jackpot and joint partnership. I think everyone wants success in life; business and career; however it takes a concerted effort to reach success. The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” Tommy Lasorda sums it up much better than I can!
I started this series because I run into so many people who have difficulty reaching success. They want to know my secrets! So I thought I would share them in a format that will be most helpful. I also think this format may make it more interesting and easier to use. My goal in these articles to provide useful and interesting information that will help you succeed. The 3 J’s of Success is now a series.
Photo by: Billy ray’s Residual Self Image
Sometimes I wonder if we hold ourselves back and purposely make the wrong decisions. It’s hard to really know.
About partnerships, I’ve tried that route a few times, and each time were failures, I have yet to see it working well.
I know lots of people do it great. But it’s complicated.
I ahave to agree with you! Partnerships are similar to marriages and relationships. It is difficult to find a people who have the same enthusiasm, goals, values, integrity etc. Although my wife did not work in my business, she was supportive of what I did and was a great sounding board for new ideas.
I never thought of a reward for meeting a goal as a jackpot, I like it. First time to read your blog, I’ll try to catch the rest.
Thank you, it is not something I do all the time, but when reach a particular milestone.
My jackpot is being able to mark a to-do list item as completed on my phone. It sounds dorky, but it really makes me happy to finish tasks however big or small they are and take them off my to-do list!
I started before the electronic age and just had a list. I enjoy crossing it off too, but sometimes I reward a particular milestone.
I reward myself when I achieve a goal, usually a trip to Lowe’s or Home Depot with stuff for a project I’m working on. Sometimes it’s a magazine or some small pleasure. I’m obsessed with working on our small garden patio right now.
I sometimes use the reward to motivate me through a particular difficult project or milestone. A garden can be a reward in itself!
I think there are times when the role we have been in in a company hinders our decision making abilities (judgement is only narrowly defined and not valued outside of your scope). The problem with that failure to develop people for leadership within a company, is that when new leadership is needed, companies frequently look outside of their existing company because they have not prepared their own staff to take up new responsibilities.
Good companies should develop their own leaders. The large companies such as GE, IBM and P&G develop their own. If companies go outside to hire executives or leaders, it tells the employees to go elsewhere too.
Joint partnership can do wonders. When people come together to work they can do great effort. They can achieve much more than they can working individually.
A great post KrantCents 🙂
Whether it is a spouse or partner, it can greater than two individuals. Partnerships are difficult to put together though.
Great point about jackpot. I sometimes shift gears to the next goal or task without enjoying the achievement. Thanks for reminding me smell the roses. Joint partnerships are critical as well. We can’t do it alone, but if you pick a bad partner, it could lead you to ruin.
I use the reward as additional motivation. The most important partnership is your spouse, but partners can help you achieve success or keep you from it.
I really suck at lining up ‘jackpots’ for achieving my goals. This could be why I don’t achieve as much as I should be, or that I’m capable of. Thankfully, I’ve got a great husband who always encourages me and tries to keep me on track. 🙂
Remember, you create your jackpot. Find something that will motivate you to complete a task or milestone and that is your jackpot.
Hi Krantcents,
I have included this post at my website weekly roundup #2
Thanks for mentioning the series, I really appreciate it.
I like your perspective on business partnership and marriage. Financial stability and business skills, I think, are just a few additional requirements in the case of business partnership. Other compatibility issues are indeed almost similar to marriage. Thanks for sharing.
A good partnership is more elusive than a good marriage.
Among the 3Js, Joint Partnership is the one that has taken about 70% of my success both in family and job. I cannot thank and salute enough my husband who stood with and by me all the time in crucial decision-making matters.
My spouse is not only my marital partner but also my business partner.
A good partner is very difficult to find. My wife is very supportive too.