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Did you know that a recent Gallup study showed that only 21% of people are engaged at work?

So…one in five of you that read this email are truly connected to what you do every single day, where the other 4 are…well…not.

You already know that I’m all about getting clear on one’s identity and purpose in order to live a more fulfilling life.

For many of us, a huge amount of that life is either at work, or involved in our work somehow.

The thought of only 21% of people being engaged in said work might be saddening, but it’s certainly not surprising.

Focusing on identity, though, I believe that becoming the type of person who is clear on why they do what they do, what values they live by, and the mission they’re seeking to achieve in the world will lead to far greater fulfillment and satisfaction on a daily basis.

This, then, leads to greater happiness, healthier relationships, elevated levels of health and fitness, and of course, higher levels of financial success.

What traits, though, do those who “win” at this game all seem to share?

1: They stay connected to the “why.”

As I just mentioned - purpose.

I’ve been a private coach to some of the world’s highest achievers for more than a decade, and I can tell you with certainty that they’re all deeply connected to the purpose behind why they do what they do.

They don’t just punch a clock or pick the career path with the highest paycheck - they seek to serve a deeper mission. Social impact, leaving a family legacy, giving their children the life they never had - it could be anything, but the key is living in alignment with it every single day.

2: They accept (and embrace) failure.

The people who say “failure isn’t an option” don’t actually understand success.

You did not get to where you are by avoiding risk, failure, and taking chances.

You got there through risk, failure, and taking chances.

High achievers and people who are truly engaged in their work are not avoiding all the parts of it that might be a risk. Instead, they’re diving in headfirst, learning, and improving as a result.

3: They work on what works.

A foundation of discipline is the key to success.

Discipline can be repetitive.

Repetition can be boring.

But - small incremental changes that happen over time through consistency lead to big results.

This includes building habits, routines, and a solid foundation that you can build off of in your personal and professional life. This is also something that I work on developing with private clients.

4: Learn, learn, and learn some more.

High-achievers are lifelong learners.

They dive headfirst into challenges, new information, and the excitement of developing new skills.

They know that this is how they’ll grow and advance.

They’ll know that it sheds new light on their work and keeps it interesting.

They know that understanding themselves and their relationships more will make them deeper and more fulfilling.

They know that everything worth pursuing requires absorbing as much information as you can about it during that pursuit.

They prioritize self-education, and personal development.

You, after all, are the foundation of everything you build in this life. The stronger the foundation, the more you can securely stack on top of it.

Remember the wise words of Jim Rohn:

“Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.”

Talk to you soon.

Your coach,

-James Michael Sama