Bruce Kasanoff* reveals the personal credo which guides his actions and has enabled him to become a better professional and human being.
Eight years ago, I decided to write a personal credo that would be easy to remember and could guide my actions through life.
I wrote: “Be generous and expert, trustworthy and clear, open-minded and adaptable, persistent and present.”
It worked beautifully. The credo stuck with me, guides my actions to this day, and I’ve shared it so far with hundreds of thousands of people.
In reality, the eight principles it describes are universal. They are not specific to me.
Anyone can use them to become a better professional and human being.
Here’s a quick overview of each principle:
Generous means to help others long before — and after — you need their help.
Expert means to be very competent in one or more areas that others value. It also means that whenever you take on a new task, do your best.
Trustworthy means to take ownership of your words and actions, and recognise that you live in a world in which they will increasingly be recorded, remembered, analysed, and replayed.
Clear means to know what you want and to be able to communicate it effectively.
Open-minded means no matter how expert or successful you become, never stop listening and learning.
Adaptable means to keep your options open, so that when the world surprises you, it won’t be that surprising.
Persistent means to keep trying, even when times are tough and you are tempted to quit.
Present means that although you should learn from the past and be prepared for the future, you should pay close attention to the present moment as it unfolds — otherwise, you will miss a great deal.
*Bruce Kasanoff is an executive coach and social media ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. He can be contacted at kasanoff.com.
This article first appeared at kasanoff.com.
