By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you complete your goals on time. Reading time: 2:56

You’re exhausted. You already pulled an all-nighter launching this new product and now you’ll be up at least another 24 hours chasing elusive customers, and combating critical media at this major industry convention.

63 Hours Of No Sleep

Charles Lindbergh Time Magazine’s first Man of the Year in 1927

The next time you find yourself in this exasperating situation, think of the 25-year-old who had also been up 24 straight hours and who then launched what turned out to be a 33 hour ordeal fighting certain death if he had fallen asleep.

Charles Lindbergh, in a 63-hour stretch of no sleep, flew his way into the history books and on to the cover of Time Magazine as its first Man of the Year in 1927 after becoming the first to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Carpe Diem: Seize the Day.

That’s what Charles Lindbergh. did in demonstrating a key leadership skill: Leaders take action despite the circumstances. They DUE it more than simply do it. Due it? Yes.

Leaders rely on their personal conviction to establish an inevitable due date after having paid their dues. They rely on their consummate preparation to overcome challenges and make their goals, their dreams, their vision COME DUE much like a promissory check.

Cashing Your Promissory Check

Lindbergh came due and preempted his competition. He saw that if he waited until conditions were right a competitor would have beaten him into the history books.

It really didn’t matter to him that he would have to forego the equivalent of $100,000 bonus by not waiting for his eligibility period in a contest. And it really didn’t matter to him that an ideal date to fly at night over the 3,000 mile ocean would be on the day that has the longest period of daylight—a month later on June 21, the summer solstice.

After all, Charles Lindbergh already had a DUE date. Carpe Diem!

Today’s ImproveMINT

DUE it today to keep your leadership thinking in mint condition.

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