Becoming Your Best:
The 12 Principals of Highly Successful Leaders

1. Be true to character. 

Reflection: This will come in handy when meeting new people, having a conversation, and making yourself feel better. When you are true to character, you try to be the best you can be, this will help with making yourself a better person. When you meet someone new to should be the best [person you can be, like being polite, nice, caring, and overall have great qualities. Having great qualities will make you a better person and you will see that if you stay true to character you will make new friends and be happy with yourself. On thing I will do is try to be the best person I can be, I will make sure I am kind, and caring and stay true to who I am. 

Quote: "If you want to be trusted, be honest. If you want to be honest, be true. If you want to be true, be yourself." (Unknown)

2. Use your imagination 

Reflection: When you are wanting to do something that you want to accomplish, you should imagine yourself succeeding. This will motivate you to complete your goal. When you imagine that you have completed your goal its a great way to help push you to do better. Whenever I  am thinking about completing my goal, I read it from my goal journal but, not only that I also try to imagine me and how proud I would be. When I feel proud that motivates me. Imagine how proud you will feel to have completed a goal. Try doing this and you will try even harder to complete your goal.


3. Apply the power of knowledge




4. Never give up 

Reflection: Even when or if you do not succeed, you should keep trying. If you keep trying and trying until you succeed you are very likely to become a better person and a successful person. When you keep trying others will know you are a hard working person. When you looking for a job never giving up will really help you. When you have a great mentality you will know and have it stuck in your head to be a great person and never give up. For example, when you are trying to do a math problem for homework, you should wait to copy because that is dishonest. What you should do is keep trying, look online for help, or find other resources. You should never give up. I will apply this when I am working on school assignments and my day to day life.


5. Find peace and balance

Reflection: When you want to be a successful leader you should try your best to be the best person you can be. You should find balance and peace. A way you can find balance and peace in everyday life is when you are arguing with someone. The best thing to do is always find a balance that will best suit both of you. If this doesn't work then you should not fight, you should try to resolve this by finding peace to make both happy. Finding peace is when you try to solve the conflict by saying sorry, and what YOU can do better next time. Not only this, but when you are trying to solve it you should resolve it because you will be the bigger person. This will make you a better person and you will know how to solve conflicts the right way for the rest of your life. 

     
                         6. Live the Golden Rule

Reflection:What this rule means is, "Treat others the way you want to be treated". When you want to be treated in a great way and you want to feel happy everyday. The you need to treat others the same! Whenever you are speaking to someone you should always be nice and treat them with respect. If you do this you are likely to be way happier, and you will make the other person happy as well. What I will do is speak to others with respect and always smile because that will make me a happier person and the other person will be happy as well. I will use and live the golden rule.

7. Build and maintain trust

Reflection: When you want someones trust you need to earn it. When you gain someones trust that means they will have faith in telling you something about them.They believe you can keep secrets, give good advice, and be a great friend. When you have qualities of a great friend people will trust you more because you are a great person. I think building trust is a great habit to have especially if you want to make a lot of friends. when you gain someones trust do not break that trust! That is very unfriendly and very irresponsible! What I will do is always gain my friends, family or others trust. But, I will maintain their trust!



8. Quick to listen slow to wrath

Reflection: When you are in an argument you should not be quick to judge. The reason why is because when you just get mad and you dont listen you will never be patient or caring. When you try to understand and actually put effort to make things better this really helps. When you are quick to judge you are impatient and you will loose friends. You should listen to a person explanation. Just because people are telling you that someone has been talking about you does not mean they have. In my opinion when someone actually listens to me it makes me feel better about myself and helps me get my point across. Do not believe what others tell you and always be patient and quick to listen, but be slow to wrath. Do not get mad, listen first. 

9. Lead with vision 

Reflection: This is a great statement that really has to do with day to day life. When you are a prepared person and you will always have plans in what you want to do in life. Especially when you have goals and things you want to do/accomplish. This will automatically help you with leadership skills. When you are planning your life you want to make sure you can motivate yourself and envision completing that goal. In my goal journal I wrote down I wanted to make it into cheer. When we were at practice I tried my very best and I motivated myself and I told myself  I will complete it. When I was envisioning myself making on to the team I was very persistent and I knew with a lot of dedication I would get there.  Guess what, with this dedication, I made the team! I wrote and thought about this goal everyday and now I am a cheerleader! 


10. Manage with a plan 

Reflection: When you are wanting to accomplish a goal, it is best to make sure you know the steps you will take. Making sure you have a plan, will help you become more successful. For example in Mr. Haymore's class we have a life planning notebook. We write our goals and we also have a journal that helps us keep track of how we complete our goals. This really makes you think about your goals and really keeps track of how many you complete. When i complete a goal by planning I always try to give small rewards to motivate me. What I will do is I will keep writing in my goal journal and also, make sure I write and keep track of my progress. 



11. Do what matters most

Reflection: What this means to me is always do the most important things first. You should always focus on things that will help you and make you a better person. When you do all the important things first you will surly be a successful person. When you have the choice of going out with friends or studying for a test. It is always best to do what is most important. I this case, studying for a test is more important. When you take your time to do as many important things as you can, because there is enough time for everything. You just need to focus on what matters most. 




12. Be accountable 

Reflection: When you do something you should take full responsibility weather it be good or bad. When you are accountable you are different or have an opinion. If all you do is worry about others opinions and you never speak out about the work you do, what good will it do? For example owning up to something makes you accountable, just like if you make as mistake. For example, if your parents ask you if you have studied and you have not, you should own up to it and say you haven't. When you own up to what you do people will respect you and will want to be friends because this will make you a better person. When I do something I will always try to be accountable for everything I do. I will also accept the consequences if I don't. I will be accountable.