The Sequence to Success

Book excerpt: Every one of us gets anywhere in life due to three things: someone observes us, forms an opinion about us, and decides to give us an opportunity…or not. Likewise, we do the same thing with others. People have played this essential role in our lives, and we play it in the lives of those around us—and no matter how skilled we’ve become, we can play it even better. The sequence applies in business, the church, marriages, parenting, and friendships. We often assess others in the blink of an eye. We instinctively notice the look on someone’s face, the tone of voice, or the body language that’s consistent or different from the words being spoken. We react to our observation, but we seldom stop to analyze before we respond—it just happens, and it happens immediately: we observe and have an opinion, and based on what we’ve determined in that second, we either give the person an opportunity to engage with us or we close the door and remain guarded. The Sequence to Success: Three O’s That Will Take You Anywhere in Life is a leadership book, but it’s not limited to corporate presidents, CEOs, or lead pastors; it’s for everyone who has a position of influence in another person’s life—and that includes all of us. In this book, Sam Chand brings our subconscious assumptions into the light. With more insight and confidence, you’ll make better decisions to advance the people around you…or perhaps show them the door. These principles also help you become more conscious that people are observing you and forming opinions about you that will open or close doors of opportunity.