Reaching Unbeatable Career Heights: My Top 3 Secrets to Success

When you make it to the “top,” people always want to know how you got there. And with countless books and blogs on the topic of achieving success, there’s plenty of strategies to learn from and make your own as you climb the ranks.

As a sales and marketing leader at Fidelity National Title East Florida, I hold the record for fastest growth in sales within my District. My secret? To over promise and overdeliver. To outwork the competition. Every single time. To my fellow ambitious go-getters, find my top three secrets to success below!

1. Define your own version of success, map out what it takes to get there, and then take action. 

"A vision without action is merely a dream.” — Joel Barker

No matter what you are setting out to achieve in life, identifying measurable goals and the steps you need to take to reach them is what keeps you propelling forward. When I first started at Fidelity, I made it my goal to break the record for fastest growth in sales. The moment I achieved that, yes, I was excited—I felt accomplished, I was proud, but more so, I was terrified. Why? Because once we hit a goal, we’re preset to assume that it will be this defining moment of instant gratification, but instead we likely look forward and realize, “Oh crap! I just set the bar that much higher,” and that can be scary! Learn to lean into this feeling and let it motivate you— that is your driver. There really is no end point to success – and there is so much thrill in that. Success looks and changes differently for each individual. Allow your definition of success to be fluid, to age and develop over time with each accomplishment that becomes your personal milestone. 

2. A skill can always be taught. Your inner drive can’t.

The phrase “work-life balance,” is overused and outdated in my not-so-humble opinion. Instead, I encourage my team to work hard so that they can enjoy being present with the ones they work hard for.

Something that my husband and I practice with our daughter is open and intentional communication. So when one of us has to take an important work call at night or on the weekend, we explain to her why it is important for us to do so. Whether it’s putting in a little extra time before a big family vacation, or just rolling with the punches of the job, we always make a concerted effort to ensure she understands that we do these things for the greater good of our family.

3. Don’t fear competition. Embrace it. Learn from it.

Pay attention to what your competitors are doing and assess where the gaps are. (But don’t be a copycat, that’s never a good look.) Instead, focus on the activity itself and how you can aim higher. For example, if you see a competitor doing two open houses with realtors over the weekend (we’re talking the title insurance space), and they’re currently #1 in the area, then you know to shoot for three or four. However, don’t spend too much time obsessing over the competition. With everything, there’s a balance at play. Having a healthy dose of competition makes us better, but when we let ourselves become overly obsessed with the competition, we lose sight of our own goals and measures of success. Know who is on your left and right, yes, but keep your eyes on the lane in front of you and most importantly, make it your own.

At the end of the day, achieving success isn’t as hard as some people try to make it seem. That is, when you’re willing to work for it. While it may feel like you’re miles away from getting there, remember that it’s the daily activities that will make or break your success. And when it all boils down, it’s about leading by example, keeping your promise, and over delivering. Every single time.