7 things to consider...if you want to advance your career.

NOTE: Watch the "Real People Getting Real Results!" video interview above to see, hear, and feel the words of L.R. Weeden, CM-Lean, LCI-CPC . He has been on an intentional personal development mission for years. He can't hide it! He's shining bright! What's stopping YOU from shining a bit brighter?!?

Become AWARE of and learn to APPLY the principles found within these 7 tips effectively, and YOU will be better positioned to get raises and promotions!

1) It’s not about you...but it starts with you!

“The most valuable player is the one who makes the most players valuable.” ~ Peyton Manning

Who YOU are matters! Be more, so you can help more.

Don't focus on becoming more successful. Focus on becoming more valuable.

When you intentionally become more valuable, others will automatically make you more successful.

2) Ask yourself, "What kind of role model am I?"

The question you must ask yourself isn’t “Am I role model?” because someone is always watching.

Everyone is a role model.

The question YOU should ask yourself is, “What kind of role model will I be?”

Character can be masked, but it can't be hidden.

Every choice you make reveals who you are on the inside to all of those watching from the outside.

3) Don’t ask for a raise...ask for responsibility!

YOU are repeatedly paid for YOUR experience.

If YOU want to get paid more, YOU need more experience.

Experience is based on two components:

1. Character: who you are, why you do what you do, how you do what you do
2. Competency: what you know (talent, abilities, skills, knowledge)

The best way to gain new experience is to raise YOUR hand and ask for more responsibility. (Watch the 15 minute sample video on this subject here.)

Then, YOU must deliver results to demonstrate your value.

If you deliver results and YOU don't suffer from poor character, YOU will be paid more in the future as a result...either by your current employer or your next employer (assuming you have the courage to bet on yourself and the desire to leverage YOUR experience someplace else).

4) KEEP commitments...do what you said you would do!

When YOU make a commitment, YOUR integrity is on the line.

When YOU keep the commitment, YOU build trust and increase YOUR influence.

When YOU break the commitment, YOU create distrust and decrease YOUR influence.

Don't make commitments lightly. If you make them, do your best to keep them.

5) Be willing to make sacrifices...give up to go up!

If you're not willing to make sacrifices to get from where you are to where you want to be, you should expect to be left behind by those who will.

You may have to accept a pay cut to get a pay raise.

You may have to work overtime to get noticed and promoted.

You may have to do more than others are doing, so you can do what others can't.

6) Focus on developing your character...the sooner, the better!

Everyone is focused on developing their competency to some degree.

Few people intentionally choose to develop their character.

That's why character development will separate you from the crowd.

Research studies have shown that 87-90% of our results in life are based on our character. Our competency is only responsible for 10-13% of our results.

Have you ever noticed people are most often hired for what they know and most often fired for who they are. Forget the research. This is all the validation you need.

It doesn't matter how much you know if people don't want to work with you.

7) Everyone is a leader…including YOU!

"Leadership is influence. Nothing more. Nothing less." ~ John C. Maxwell

YOU have some degree of influence simply because you're a human interacting with other humans.

Because you exist, you're automatically influencing others in positive and/or negative ways.

To excel in life, you must become intentional about developing YOUR influence .

Increasing YOUR influence, increase YOUR options.

YOUR life will ALWAYS be better with more options!