Stop Whining and Hustle

by Ryan EstisOn April 1, 2014 0 comments
 
Last week I was complaining to Lynn about booking three events on consecutive days that will require me to travel to Florida, Las Vegas and then back to Florida. March Madness has me a little travel weary and I shot her a quick note:
 
“Lynn, hit the pause button. We need to discuss Florida to Vegas and back. That is aggressive.”
 
She responded appropriately:
 
“Seriously, Ryan? Stop whining and hustle!!”
 
I started laughing and of course, we are now committed to delivering those three events. It was absolutely the right call and now you know a little bit more about our culture and shared commitment to what we are building. It truly is a team effort.
 
Who you surround yourself with is the single most important decision you have as a leader. As an entrepreneur, the first couple of hires typically make or break the business.
 
I had the great privilege of seeing Jim Rohn speak live before he passed. I was just starting my career and I still have my notes from his session. I haven’t forgotten this little pearl of wisdom:
 
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
 
Let’s face it: The people we surround ourselves with influence our perspective and shape how we experience the world around us. Choosing the right people can propel you forward.
 
I continue to benefit from spending time with people who are invested in helping me become a better version of myself. I’m learning and growing from their example. Occasionally, as is often the case with Lynn, the benefit comes in the form of a direct challenge or a push in the right direction.
 
I’m grateful and better for it. If you want to raise your own capability and continue making forward progress, it pays to ask yourself: Who am I spending time with? How is that working?
 
To read the original article on The Ryan Estis Business Performance Blog, please click here. 
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Ryan Estis has more than 20 years of experience as a top-performing sales professional and leader. As the former chief strategy officer for the McCann Worldgroup advertising agency NAS, he brings a fresh perspective to business events. As a keynote speaker, Ryan is known for his innovative ideas on leading change, improving sales effectiveness and preparing for the future of work. He was recently recognized as one of “the best keynote speakers ever heard” by Meetings & Conventions magazine alongside Tony Robbins, Bill Gates, Colin Powell and Mike Ditka. Ryan delivers keynote speeches, courses and online learning with an emphasis on actionable content designed to elevate business performance. His curriculum emphasizes emerging trends influencing leadership effectiveness, sales performance and customer experience. Ryan helps participants prepare to thrive in today’s ultra-competitive, hyper-connected business environment. Ryan supports the world’s leading brands, including Liberty Mutual, Darden Restaurants, Goodyear, the Dallas Cowboys, Medtronic, ECCO USA and Blue Cross Blue Shield. He is a faculty member for the Institute of Management Studies, a member of the SmartBrief on Workforce Advisory Board and a certified Human Capital Strategist. Ryan and his team publish original research featuring client case studies to expand the live event experience. He is also the author of a popular blog on business performance. His writing has been featured in Inc., Forbes, Entrepreneur, FastCompany, SmartBrief, Business News Network, Crain’s Business, and Yahoo Business. Ryan is an Ohio University graduate who resides in downtown Minneapolis. When he’s not traveling to speaking engagements around the world, Ryan enjoys down time with family and friends, practicing yoga and cheering on his beloved Minnesota Timberwolves.

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