High Impact People

Have you had breakfast with Fred? I’ve been greatly enjoying breakfast with Fred since a friend invited me.

Yesterday, Fred shared these thoughts on high impact people.

• Link their passion and their uniqueness. They understand that who they are and what they do well correlate.
• Minimize religion and maximize spirituality. They know that Christianity is about relationship, not ritual.
• Endure pain to win the gold. They have an answer to the Olympian’s question, “What do you do when you start hurting? High impact people keep going.
• Understand that discipline is not punishment. Correction signifies concern.
• Save, Invest, and then Speculate. They never invert the financial pyramid and never go to Las Vegas with the meal money.
• Control their time. They don’t expect others to spend their time any more than they expect others to spend their money. They understand the power of dramatic moments.
• Focus. They understand that bigger game is brought down with a rifle, not a shotgun.
• Are energetic. They have discovered the power of creative energy — its source and uses.
• Balance their lives. They stay out of the rat race and off rabbit trails. They integrate all the spokes of their life wheel, so the ride isn’t rocky.
• Nurture their curiosity. They see the magic of life and want to know why.
• Take calculated risks. They put the odds in their favor. They would rather own the slot machines in Las Vegas, rather than playing them.
• Capture the concept of plateauing. They know the rules of growing, assimilating, and growing again. They know when you grow too fast, holes occur.
• Keep stress vertical. They know that vertical stress is positive while horizontal stress causes distress.
• Have and use a sense of humor. They appreciate the fact that “what you cry about today, you will laugh about tomorrow.”
• Don’t take destructive action. They may “think it,” but don’t do it.
• Anticipate. They don’t like and work against surprises. They know how to go “where the puck will be, not where it is” as Gretzky said.
• Work with cause and effect. They understand the principles of sowing and reaping.
• Operate and articulate the meaning of life. They have clear internal dialogue that is purposeful and intentional. They know what real life isn’t about wealth and fame.
• Have emotional control. They have a broad repertoire of emotions and know how to use them. They have a disciplined imagination, are courageous, and eliminate the negative. John Wayne said, “Courage is being sacred to death and still saddling up.”
• Choose their attitude. They adopt Frankl’s observation that attitude can be controlled even when circumstances cannot.

[Adapted from Breakfast with Fred daily newsletter, April 1, 2008.]

Thanks, Fred.