Vision, ambition, and humility form a winning combination. Lose one, and you may never realize your true potential. Singer and actress Reba McEntire said, “To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.” In business, as in life, McEntire is incredibly accurate in her assessment. She suggests that all three bones need to be present for success.
These three traits seem to form an intertwined holy trinity. Having a purpose (wishbone) and a sense of humour (funny bone) is no good without the mental attitude and ability (backbone) required to achieve your goal. Having a vision and the right attitude (and aptitude) may prove that you are ambitious, but without some semblance of humility and kindness, people are unlikely to support your cause. And finally, having the ability to be in the moment combined with a resilient nature may well make you robust as a business, but without a clear path, it is unlikely that you will ever realise your true potential.
You Need a Wishbone
This bone emphasizes the importance of you and your business having a goal or a vision. At Wingman, we start with strategy first—always. Your wishbone provides focus and something to aspire towards. Big or small objectives, short-term or long-term; the wishbone provides you with motivation to keep heading in the right direction. It is important to have a plan (strategy) first before you start down the path of how you will achieve it. From the overall vision, you need to draw up a well-defined strategy, providing direction to the entire organization. What do you and your team wish for in the future? What does success look like? Dream big to succeed big!
You Need a Backbone
The backbone represents the importance of your deep-rooted mental toughness and your overall capabilities within your business. It is the means to achieve the wishbone. The backbone of your organization is the ability to be resilient and see things through. You need the courage and commitment to stay the course over the long term, driving toward your vision. The backbone provides the courage to stand your ground and to stretch yourself—keeping your feet solid on the floor even in the most difficult times.
You Need a Funny bone
The funny bone reminds us to seize the moment (carpe momentus) and have a sense of humour even in the most trying times. That isn’t to say you should take things lightly; simply that you can make light of things around you and still move forward. It is a good trait to be able to laugh at yourself and avoid becoming too self-absorbed. This bone showcases that it is okay to make mistakes and be vulnerable on occasion. Celebrate success. Laugh at mistakes. It is all part of the journey. The funny bone can help you stay optimistic and enjoy where you are at and what you are doing. It’s good to learn from the past and plan for the future but you live in the present. You might as well enjoy it.
At Wingman, we are dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of our crew, clients, and beyond. We use these three bones every day in our service delivery and bring them with us to each and every client. Let us know how these bones could be of value to your business. Contact us today.