Any time I come across a new topic or something new that I learned, I like to share it. I do this for two main reasons:

If I found it valuable, I’m sure other may also. Maybe they didn’t come across that info yet so I’m therefore obligated to share it.

The teacher learns more than the student. By writing this and sharing it with all of you, I in turn get to know that information much better so I can speak about it and continue to live what I learned.

Last week, I was listening to the MFCEO Project hosted by Andy Frisella. He had a guest on his show, Yahya Bakkar, who is a speaking coach and leader in the business world. He shared this amazing acronym that really stuck with me and makes so much sense that I’ve embodied it ever since. It’s a concept that anyone in any industry can put into practice. You’ll feel more cofident, people will be more attracted to you and over time, you’ll start experiencing a higher level of success.

So let’s dive in, what is this acronym? If you read the title you already know what it is. It’s A.L.I.V.E. That’s right - so I ask you, are you A.L.I.V.E.?? Let’s really open the hood here and see what this is all about.

A-uthentic
L-ikable
I-nfluential
V-ulnerable
E-mpathetic

1. Authentic

There’s no secret that people are attracted to people who are authentic. This includes your personal life along with your professional career. If people know you as a genuine human being, over time they may want to work with you, be your friend or even introduce other people to you that you could serve. Being authentic is all about being yourself regardless of the situation. That means don’t be too proper if you aren’t naturally that way. Don’t be too casual if you’re naturally proper. People are attracted to the real version of you, not the filtered version that a lot of us try to put on on a daily basis. Quit being who you think others want you to be and just be you.

2. Likable

If people don’t like you why the heck would they be your friend never mind do business with you? People enjoy being around others that are positive, big thinkers, willing to help and serve and willing to listen. When you go above and beyond for someone, they tend to enjoy that experience and they associate it with you. So if you want to be likable, do on to others that you would want to be done for you. Practice that day in and day out without missing a beat and your influence will grow, which leads us to our next point…

3. Influential

Do you have influence on other people’s lives? Do your decisions, your actions and your beliefs turn into impact on their lives? Is that impact positive or is it negative? That’s one thing we often forget - we can have both negative and positive influence on the people around us. So back to the idea of being positive, are your actions, you personal brand, the way you walk and talk positively impacting people negatively impacting people? Either way you are influential. So take some time, evaluate what you’ve been doing lately and re-frame if you need to or keep doing what you’re doing.

4. Vulnerable

Vulnerability is one of the hardest things to do. To be vulnerable, we must admit our wrongs, put down our shield and open ourselves up to feedback from the people around us. This feedback can be tough to hear but it helps us grow, it helps us be the best version of ourselves. When you’re in your own mind, your own groove and your own way it can be tough to see things from outside your point of view. The people around us, know what the market place wants, because they are the marketplace. We must open ourselves up to feedback and then implement it so we can test and measure the results. We need to put our egos aside and be willing to change and grow over time. I know this has been difficult for me, but when implemented, your growth plain increases drastically.

5. Empathetic

Empathy can be an overused and misunderstood word so let’s see what it actually means. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. When you are engaging in a conversation with someone in your personal life or professional life, it is critical to understand where they are coming from. Ego needs to be put aside and you need to realize that you aren’t always right. Someone else’s perspective and point of view can help open up ideas that you may not have thought about before. What happens when you practice empathy is that you end up being more vulnerable which amplifies your authenticity. That leads to people liking you and finally increasing your overall influence on the people on your world and marketplace. So go out, be empathetic and watch the other qualities fall into place. Enjoy the success that comes from putting these into practice.