Going From Humble Beginnings to a CEO

Many people create goals. Goals are great and goals are meant to be met, exceeded and set again. When I moved from a small town outside of Chicago to Phoenix, my only goal was to get a job, not talk baby talk all day long, make enough money to put my youngest child into a really good pre-school and pay for the car I needed.

Little did I know at the time that my new position as a receptionist would be the jump start that led to going from answering phones to owner and CEO of a $20 million commercial construction company.How could that happen to someone with no construction experience and only a high school diploma as credentials

It happened with mental toughnessand determination when I went from thinking, “Holy Shit – why me!” to believing, “Why Not ME!” I realized there was a lot more to being successful than having a formal education

During a day of frustration and stress, I sat on my living room floor with a yellow legal tablet and a #2 pencil and figured out that I am street-smart, tenacious, gutsy, intelligent, hard-working and ask a lot of questions with the expectation of getting great answers. That’s the day my career took off.

The next day I made a gutsy move. I set my second goal and went for it. I put in my application for a construction accounting position at a sister company. Weeks later I got job, beating out much more qualified candidates. Let’s face it almost everyone else who applied was much more qualified than me. My concern about having zero accounting, construction or college listed on my resume quickly gave way to the new fear of, “How am I going to pull this off

In the beginning of my training I’d go home at night in tears because, “I didn’t get it.” I didn’t understand accounting terms, construction schedules or pretty much anything. I thought to myself, “What am I gonna do?” Then I remembered what gave me the courage to apply in the first place. “I AM street-smart, tenacious, gutsy, intelligent, and hard working. I asked a lot of questions and expect great answers.” Off to work I’d go, determined but still shaking all the way.

My next goal was to get results immediately. I wanted to learn, to grow and to not feel that same intense fear again. I knew that once I learned something that I could lock it in and then build on it. Finally, I got it!

That’s when the Layered Learning style I use with my athletes was born. This simple system helps them go from where they are to where they want to go. It provides a strong foundation where you: Learn >Apply>See the Results >Tweak if Necessary >Then Learn More. It is so simple, yet extremely effective when followed. Having a system provides a concrete way to go beyond what’s reasonable or possible. I’ve done it and so have my athletes!

Learn more from Deborah Dubree on how to help you gain mental toughnessto attain and exceed your goals!