Identifying Your Personal Code
January 23, 2017
By Angie Katselianos
Have you ever arrived at a crossroads on your path toward success and didn’t know which road to take?
Business expert and author, Simon Sinek, has inspired myriad entrepreneurs—myself included—with “The Golden Circle” model. He explains that your “Why” is the purpose, cause or belief that drives you and is central to what you do and how you do it.
Having worked with top performers for two decades, what has become evident to me is that there is a fourth circle that reflects our core identity and mode of operation. This is the inherent secret weapon that’s as unique to each of us as our thumbprint— our Personal Code, the foundation of every choice we make. It is comprised of four Platinum Pillars. Only through identifying our Platinum Pillars and Personal Code do we know in what direction our “Why,” “What” and “How” should go.
I have recurrently observed successful businesses and entrepreneurs come to a magical time when their work pays off. This creates a crossroads, a pivotal moment where success becomes either an “anchor” or a “springboard.” The former anchor path leads to a gradual descent of growth and increased hustle for the next opportunity. The latter is a springboard into uncharted territory where invisible opportunities suddenly appear. Thus, pivotal moments are decisive. When you have identified and understand your Personal Code, you will know which path to choose.
At a basic level, the Personal Code is our “Who”—the source of our intrinsic leadership—and each of its four Platinum Pillars works to develop our mode of operation:
1. Your Gateway to Purpose. This is the strategic pillar to your purpose, which defines your legacy.
2. Your Greatest Gift. This is what comes natural to you and kick-starts your pillars’ mode of operation so you can maximize your productivity.
3. Your Biggest Challenge. This pillar will either make or break your success. When you know it, you can manage it so it won’t take you out.
4. Your Achievement Process. This pillar identifies the unique way you go about fulfilling your purpose.
As a performance expert, I help leaders keep their edge and ability to innovate by identifying their Personal Code, elevating their vision and accelerating the achievement of their legacy. However, this challenges many of my entrepreneurial clients, as we generally like to figure things out by ourselves. And yet, we don’t know what we don’t know; staying within our comfort zone limits our potential, while magic happens when we partner together.
When you find yourself standing at the next fork in the road of your success, will you choose an anchor or a springboard? Choose wisely. Don’t leave your choice to chance. Instead, springboard your success by discovering your Personal Code. Your legacy depends on it.
Angie Katselianos (pictured) is an EO speaker, as well as the CEO and founder of Platinum Performance International, an advisory firm that helps top performers springboard their success.