5 Fortune Cookie Messages that Help Shape a Successful Leader's Habits

What does your future hold?

One of my family's favorite dinner options is Chinese food, and of course we cap it off with the official split up of fortune cookies. What follows is 5 of these I picked up through the years and kept around to remind me of some very important messages that help me and this company steer its attitudes and efforts. Seemingly random, these took years to find, and it was fulfilling to formulate them into a tangible strategy.

This is the best time for me to discuss what I like to call a "dissatisfaction attitude." When you are happy getting the results you are getting, you may not have enough drive to move forward, want more for yourself, and slip into comfort. A dissatisfaction attitude means you have a hidden drive deep inside you to want more. When an entrepreneur has this, look for them to lead the way. That desire will seem to others like they have a passion for what they do, but it is so much deeper.

The closest online definition I could find was really just for dissatisfaction: "the state or attitude of not being satisfied; discontent; displeasure. a particular cause or feeling of displeasure or disappointment: many dissatisfactions with the plan." I would say it's the ultimate driver of personal change or growth.

Note that some fortunes are just not relatable. These chosen have a big impact and reflect how I approach my goals and habits.

1. Have a vision. Be demanding.

A Mission Statement defines the company's business, its objectives and its approach to reach those objectives. A Vision Statement describes the desired future position of the company. Elements of Mission and Vision Statements are often combined to provide a statement of the company's purposes, goals and values. (Click here for source)

I toured Google headquarters about ten years ago in Mountain View and one of the things that impressed me was their 75 year vision for their company. Do you have a 3-5 year Vision of what you want your company to look like, or what you would like to be doing by then, The sooner you figure this out, the sooner the opportunities line up for you to follow that path. Vision is crucial to growth. Be demanding about the clarity of that vision and approach it using SMART goal setting.

2. In life, it's good not to get too comfortable.

During my time over the span of 15 years as a technician, I could have arranged for my employer to submit greater than $5,000 per year towards my education. This was an opportunity squandered, as I have since been paying for any classes I take out of my own pocket. I was content and didn't fully see the vision of what I wanted manifesting, and I was happy enough in the meantime.

Whatever it is for you, look to see where you may be too comfortable and shake things up a little.

3. The one who would be constant in happiness must frequently change.

The only one who likes change its a wet baby, right? Wrong, you like change. We all desire some things to remain the same, but we are evolving as a human race with this sense that there will always be senses of variability and only so much of it is within our control. We use clever techniques and methods to try and bend the situations to our will. It doesn't always work out for us.

If you want to be able to truly feel happiness, change must be an ongoing component of your life.

4. The expert at anything was once a beginner.

This is my favorite one of all time! It is a constant reminder to me that experts are made, not automatic. I also like reminding experts, first that they are experts, and that it may be part of their job to bring some beginners up to their level. This to me is the most humbling of fortunes.

If you teach or create training products, this is a great tenant to keep in mind.

5. The best is yet to come.

Eyes forward for a brighter future. If you don't see one, you need to be doing something differently. Figuring out what that looks like is nobody else's job but your own. As Seth Godin famously stated, "Nobody is coming to save you." Your future is up to you, and the best is yet to come.