Today I heard Dr. John Demartini speak to a room of over 400 Speakers on the topic of “Success of High Achievers”.

He challenged me to think as to whether I was “sitting in the shadow of giants or on the shoulder of giants”?

Am I living an authentic life that helps me to achieve to my peak performance on a daily basis – or am I allowing certain outer influences and inner thought patterns to hold me back?

He shared about the 5 “S’s” of Leaders:

1. SERVICE – they know their mission is to serve others.  Are you treating others as your peer and serving them?
2. STUDY – They crave specialised knowledge.  How much research are you doing and do you meditate and pray for insights that can help you to help others?
3. SPEAK – Those with a mission have a message!  Are you taking your message out to the world?
4. SELL – They learn how to care for others by enabling others to believe in themselves and helping them to fulfil to their highest value.
5. SAVING – They pay themselves first! Are you investing in yourself by attending the conferences that will educate you and help you to achieve to your potential.

As he left the stage to a standing ovation, I reflected on Dr. Demartini’s words and looked back over my actions throughout 2013.

I have attended 5 conferences in the USA and Canada, and attended 9 meetings of the NSANZ in Auckland.  I have invested over $20,000 on my personal education and networking.  I have flown 20 times and I have heard over 180 hours of presentations and combined wisdom.

And now, as I prepare to depart from Vancouver, where I have invested 4 days with over 400 delegates at the Global Speakers Summit (GSS2013) that was organised by the Global Speakers Federation (GSF), I start my conference planning for 2014 with the National Speakers Association of Australia’s (NSAA) convention in Melbourne on my horizon.

I walk taller and more confident as I look back at a year that was marked by my appointment to the President’s Advisory Council for the John Maxwell Team, the Presidency of the Auckland Chapter of NSANZ and now the NZ-representative role for the GSF.  And I know that I will positively impact over 1 Million households around the world!

Once you value you, you increase the probability of your cause growing!

I encourage you to join me during 2014 at NSAA in Melbourne and start to sit on the shoulders of giants!