Superpower: How to Think, Act, and Perform with Less Effort and Better Results

Chapter 6

Add Value . . . Increase Success

The strategy of adding more value to increase your success relates to many areas of your life, so whether you are unemployed, a student, a work-at-home parent, an executive, or part of a team, you can benefit from asking yourself, “How can I add more value?”

In an earlier chapter, I asked you to identify the skill sets necessary for success in the different roles of your life, like being a parent, a spouse, a friend, a colleague, a leader, and a coworker. Did you do the exercise? If not, now would be a good time to complete it. Looking back on your observations, how did you do? By rating yourself on a scale of 1 to 10, you can identify areas and find gaps for improvement. Once you have the list, you can develop a strategy and define the action steps for personal growth and development.

One of my friends and colleagues, Roxanne Emmerich, has a favorite saying: “Life gives to the givers…and takes from the takers!” Although it's obvious that bad things sometimes happen to good people, the point is that the more you give, the more that comes back to you in positive ways.

A great example of a giver who plays many different roles in my life is business mogul and philanthropist Dr. Nido Qubein. He came to the United States as a teenager with little knowledge of English, no contacts, and only $50 in his pocket. His life has been an amazing success story. As an educator, he is president of High Point University, an undergraduate and graduate institution ...