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3 Things Snoopy and the Third Grade Taught Me About Success

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If I told you that Snoopy (yes, that Snoopy), was the main reason for the success I have had in my adult life, you might cock your head to the side, flutter your eyelids in disbelief, and utter a sarcastic “riiiight.”

But it’s true.

I have run several businesses, written and published a handful of books, been on air as a television broadcaster, won awards for my work in several different fields and helped countless people accomplish their own goals by bringing their value out into the world. And it is all thanks to Snoopy.

Let me explain.

From kindergarten to the third grade, I was a Montessori kid. If you’re not familiar with the Montessori approach, the education philosophy focuses on independence and self-learning. Looking back, it was a great fit for me and served me well. Some of the things I learned during that experience not only helped to shape me into the person I am today, but continue to serve me as I run my own business and help others to find their own confidence, learn self-sufficiency, and have the ability to communicate effectively with others.

The sheets were the key.

Every Monday, when I walked into my classroom, I would head towards the bin that housed our calendar of assignments for the week. I would pull mine from the pile, sit down, and look at what I needed to accomplish that week. Every subject was a heading, and the list of individual assignments for each subject was underneath.

As a child, my main motivator to accomplish everything on my sheet each week were the Snoopy stickers I got. After completing each task, you got to pick a sticker that a teacher would add to your sheet as a way to check the assignment off. Of the stickers available, Snoopy was always the frontrunner for me. It was something so small that lit me up so big, week after week. However, I realize (looking back) that those Snoopy sticker-covered sheets taught me three invaluable lessons that, to this day, are a part of why I am successful.

1. I got to choose when to do things.

Once I had my sheet in hand, I got to decide how my workload for that week would look. I could buckle down and get everything done on Monday, I could spread things out and do a little each day, or I could wait until Friday and work under pressure.

My responsibilities, my choices, and my results were up to me.

I was tasked with figuring out how I work best. That also taught me that, as long as I got it done, there was nothing wrong with how I did it. Think about this past year and a half and how many people discovered they are really more calm and more productive when they can work remotely or at certain times of day when they are more focused, have more energy, or in an environment that is comforting, while others learned that they really like and need the structure and routine of going onsite to work. Different people, different ways. No right or wrong, just effective.

Learning how YOU work best is key to success.

“Keep looking up, that’s the secret of life.” – Snoopy

2. I could ask for help when I needed it.

There were times throughout the day when my time was my own and other times when I met with teachers or classmates for a specific assignment, group project, or test. But I had access to a teacher if I needed or wanted one. This taught me that asking for help is not only acceptable, but encouraged. When you ask and learn from the answers you get, it moves you forward more quickly.

Asking for help is key to success.

3. Teachers weren’t the only ones to go to for help.

With multiple grades in the same space (another Montessori thing), I could go to peers, older kids, or even be a teacher for someone else who needed help. The “hierarchy” that shows up in a more traditional classroom wasn’t there.

What that taught me was that things like age and “seniority” didn’t automatically make you smarter or better at anything. What made you smarter or better at things was information gathering, trying things, learning from the outcomes and identifying what works and what needs to be adjusted in order to work. You don’t have to know it all; what you need to know is how to leverage the collective intelligence in the room.

Understanding that everyone knows something you don’t, and that you know things others do not, is key to success.

The experience I had during those early years of my education taught me how to embody the qualities of a leader. While I didn’t realize it at the time (we never do), looking back, I am not sure I would be the person I am today had I not been exposed to those few years of thinking differently.

I am forever grateful for that.

Robin Sacks teaches smart people how to shift their self-talk, body language, and mental attention, so that they show-up in a more powerful, confident, and effective way, no matter what the situation or who is in the room. Professionally, she is an award-winning journalist, award-winning author, professional speaker and confidence coach. Personally, she's a mom, wife, and friend. Robin has facilitated personal and professional development programs focused on Public Speaking, Executive Presence, and Self-Confidence internationally for companies including Microsoft, Panera, and American Greetings. Her own professional experience includes being an on-air talent for NBC and ABC network affiliates, during which time she trained Emmy award nominees and an Emmy award winner. Robin's coaching clients range from young athletes to Fortune 500 Executives. Get inspired anytime at https://www.robinjsacks.com. If you're ready to jump right in, check out her online course, Owning Your Confidence.

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Success Advice

Mastering Self-Management for Success: Lessons From Peter F. Drucker

With careers no longer following a straight, predictable path, self-awareness and adaptability are essential for success.

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Peter f drucker lessons
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In today’s dynamic professional world, self-management has become increasingly important. With careers no longer following a straight, predictable path, self-awareness and adaptability are essential for success. (more…)

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Success Advice

How to Ignite the Spark Within for Future Success

All of us come to this world with our own reserve of magic unfortunately, not everyone can unleash it

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Igniting your spark
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What is it that makes some people great leaders while others remain followers? What magic do they have that others don’t? What special blessing gives them the power to bring significant change?  (more…)

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Success Advice

How Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success

Your life is dictated by beliefs and biases that drive your thinking, behaviors, and decisions

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Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success (1)
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Pause for a moment and ponder two pandemic-era beliefs: First, closing schools will control the spread of a serious virus. Second, the consequences of such school closures—particularly social interruption and the prevention of immunity—are worse than becoming sick with the virus. (more…)

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Success Advice

How to Break the Cycles of Mediocrity and Manifest Your Greatness

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

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Image Credit: Midjourney

In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.

I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.

I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.

As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.

I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness

Everything legal must come through the matrix

I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.

The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.

Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.

The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be. 

Every matrix has an incubation process

While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.

In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.

What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.

However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.

Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time. 

“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier

You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time

When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.

The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?

First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.

In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.

For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.

For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.

Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.

You must manifest your greatness

As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.

I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.

Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.

When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.

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