Do You Operate in Beast Mode?

Hello all, This article is a reflection piece, that speaks to my journey, past, present, and future, and I hope a story and a framework that you will find beneficial. After you read this, comment, share and let me know if you find the ideas shared helpful.  

Over the years, people I worked with on projects would say to me, "You're an Animal." I wasn't sure how to take it initially, but the more I reflected, the more I agreed. I'm proud of the reference; I consider it a term of endearment. I wasn't an animal all the time; It was just a mode I operated in when I was passionate about the project and the desired outcome for me or the business. Like an animal, I would sink my teeth in, hold on, and do whatever it took to achieve the goal or objective. 

Over time, the "Animal" reference turned into my nickname. To this day, people I work with call me "Danimal." 

As Danimal, I'm continually working to be better today than I was yesterday and better tomorrow than I am today. To do that, I reflect and breakdown the behaviors and skills that need to improve. During this process, I needed a way to help others understand how to move into the "Animal" mode in their personal lives and at work. Another, more descriptive and slang word for animal is "Beast." Danimal is cool and all, but being a "Beast" at something is badass. So, moving forward, I will operate in, mentor, and coach others to understand and operate in "Beast Mode." 

When I'm working in Beast Mode, I'm attacking opportunities and challenges with focus, intention, and discipline. Bottomline - Things get done. There's added benefit to operating in Beast Mode. People around you see how you behave and engage. Your attitude influences them, and they experience the skills and talent you demonstrate in that mode. 

To operate in Beast Mode, you first have to understand what it means to be a BEAST. To help me remember and teach others, I've created a mnemonic using the word BEAST.

B is for Behavior 

E is for Engage

A is for Attitude

S is for Skill 

T is for Talent 

When you operate in BEAST MODE:

Your BEHAVIOR is purposeful, and you are focused. The goal you are working to achieve is clear, and you have a plan. You're intentional in your response to opportunities or challenges. You will overcome obstacles and take advantage of opportunities to achieve your desired outcome.  

You ENGAGE early and often, ask questions, listen more than you speak. You want to know what they care about, what matters, and what they expect. By engaging this way, you can help them, contribute positively, and be of service. 

Your ATTITUDE matters. Your attitude, your choice. Having a positive attitude will always move you forward. A negative attitude is toxic for you and others. A negative attitude is also unhealthy. Again, it's your choice. You will never move forward in a job or organization. Choose to move on. A neutral attitude is a fall-back. It is impossible to be positive every moment of the day. We're human; shit happens. We experience change, stress, pressure, adversity, and challenges. Moving to neutral, and pausing for a moment, allows us to reflect, find the positive in the situation, and respond accordingly. Staying neutral can be harmful. You're not moving forward or moving on. 

You Demonstrate SKILL. In your career and life, you amass a set of skills by first learning yourself or being taught by someone else. To gain proficiency, you applied what you learned, you failed a few times, learned from your mistakes, and after some time, you achieved a level of mastery. Building skills is a life-long endeavor. I encourage everyone reading this always to evaluate your skills, identify gaps, and work to get better. 

Raw TALENT exists in every human being on this planet. Operating in Beast Mode is the high-performance, elite actions that draw upon your talent. If you're not sure what your raw talent is - ask yourself and answer these questions. The answers you come back with can help you understand your talent better. 

• What do you want to spend your life learning 
• What are you naturally drawn to do?  
• What's easy for you, but difficult for others?
• What do you love to do more than anything?
• Where do your passions lie?
• What do others say you're better at than they are? 

I'll leave you with this. Commit to becoming the best person you can be. Make it a point to find or harness your raw talent, continuously build skills by reading, researching, asking questions, and applying what you learn. Reflect often, engage others to help you, listen and learn from them, and continuously improve your behavior at work, at home, and in life. Working to become better is a challenging endeavor, but, it's possible if you unleash the BEAST.