Advice from CEOs on How to Be Your Best Self - The Muse

Advice from CEOs on How to Be Your Best Self - The MuseAdvice from CEOs on How to Be Your Best SelfCan you imagine yourself running a company? You might think its a stretch now (it takes a lot of hard work, leid to mention patience and perseverance to get there), but its also important to remember that everyone has to start somewhere. To get insight into how CEOs- accomplished people by default- succeeded, here are five lessons theyve shared with The New York Times Corner Office column.1. Dream BiggerSometimes when Im mentoring people, Ill say, Whats your biggest dream? and it will be something small and Ill say Dream bigger. Just give yourself the ability to say, I want something bigger, because who cares if you fail? Truly, who cares? So dream bigger because no one else is going to do it for you.Alexa von Tobel of LearnVestHave you ever felt that you had no right to want something? The feeling seems real enough, but its all inside your head. You dont need anyones permission to want more in your life or to have bigger goals and higher expectations- just look at Alexa von Tobel, CEO of LearnVest, who started her own successful company before she was 25. Sure there are obstacles in life, but were talking about dreams. You can and should dream whatever you want. 2. Be PatientWhen it comes to managing a career, patience is extremely important because people set goals for themselves that often are unrealistic. Its great to do that because you want to be ambitious, but you dont have control of a lot of circumstances. And when you set these goals and theyre not met, the reasons are beyond your control, it creates impatience and you then make career decisions out of impatience. Thats a big mistake. One of my bosses once said that just when you think nothings going to change, everything changes.Bob Iger of DisneyHaving lofty dreams is great, but achieving those dreams does not happen overnight. Take it from the CEO of Disney, a place that basically makes magic- you hav e to be patient. Theres no way to wish it away. Anyway, putting in the blood, sweat, and tears makes the experience of attaining those goals even better. So, buckle up and enjoy the ride. Just when youve about had it, something will surprise you.3. Just AskIf you dont ask, the answer is always no. Thats my favorite thing to tell them. Whats the harm in asking? Whats the worst thats going to happen? Just ask- thats been the story of my life.Angus Davis of SwipelyPatience is, of course, extremely important, but dont forget to set yourself up for success, too. People cant help you unless they know what you need. Angus Davis didnt become the CEO of Swipely on his own. So, tell people about your dreams and aspirations. Ask them for help. Accept advice and assistance. Youre not going to get anywhere alone. 4. Fail GracefullyIf youre going to live a bold life, and if youre going to take risks and try to step out of your comfort zone, you are going to occasionally fail, make some missteps a nd disappoint yourselfGrace is meeting those moments on the journey, then picking yourself back up, being humble enough to learn and not being too hard on yourself.Michelle Peluso of Gilt With all this talk about success, its important to acknowledge that if youre pushing yourself, at some point, youre going to fail. You might even fail a lot. Thats okay. Battle scars are great for stories as long as you make koranvers the story is about how you overcame, as Michelle Peluso of Gilt Groupe puts it, not how you lost it and got banned from some public space for life.5. Talk to YourselfThe most important is to make sure that you talk to yourself, that you think hard about whats important to you and gives you meaningIts so healthy and important to be thinking, Oh, I could have done that better. Or, What about this idea? But nowadays, were on our iPhones all the time, and you dont have time to talk with yourself, to analyze. Its very important for people to know what gives them meaning. B ut its hard for people to figure out if youre not connecting with yourself and taking the time to just be introspective and daydream.Daniel Lubetzky of KINDEven the most accomplished people in the world need to wander aimlessly sometimes. Daniel Lubetzky, CEO of KIND, can attest to this. We can make all the five-year plans we want, but without some time to just let our minds go where they will, we can only get so far until we lose sight of why were working so hard to begin with. All of this is to say, even CEOs arent all about the hustle. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your career is to take a stroll and let your mind meander.Photo of woman in field courtesy of Shutterstock.