Do You Have a Credo? You Should.

(If this article sounds familiar, that's because I publish it once a year...)

The basic idea:?Nine years ago, I decided to write a personal credo that would be easy to remember and that 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.

A bit more detail:?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 recognize that you live in a world in which they will increasingly be recorded, remembered, analyzed, 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.

***

You can find a longer explanation of each principle?here.

What's your credo? If you don't have one, please feel free to borrow or adapt mine.