[Interview] Stu Crum, Author-Expert On Intentional Living
The concept of intentional living inherently helps individuals live balanced, well-rounded lives in the face of life’s mounting demands. While we cannot know every challenge people may be facing, in his new book, “AIM FOR THE UPRIGHTS: The Intentional Playbook for Success in Faith, Family, and Business“, former football hero Stu Crum reveals his simple yet profound playbook, with messages for men and women from all walks of life and at every turn in the road.
Tagged as a winner with a natural gift for leadership, Crum made his name internationally in key positions with Texaco, Shell Oil, Jiffy Lube, and Bridgestone, wrangling deals with the likes of activist investor Carl Icahn and other heavy hitters. Yet beneath the surface lay a deeper man. Despite personal setbacks and injury-laden stints with the NFL and USFL, Crum blossomed at every turn by developing a simple, dynamic game plan for ultimate success in business, family, faith, and fun, that put his every aspiration within reach. Learn more at www.stucrum.com.
Crum recently sat down with Young Upstarts to discuss his book, his principles to live by, and more.
For someone still early on their career path, what would you say are the most important things to keep in mind to aim for success?
You should be very intentional/thoughtful about what you are trying to accomplish (your purpose). As an example, at an early age (25), I knew that I wanted to be a CEO someday. Most CEO’s are very good generalists. I spent my first 20 years in very different positions. Sales, marketing, HR, M&A, supply chain, real estate (all with the same fortune 500 company). By the time I was in my mid 40s, I was ready to take on a COO/CEO position.
I also knew that international experience could be important, so I spent 4 years overseas. I started with a plan in my early 20s and executed it, and I am still executing it today at 64. Life throws you curve balls. It doesn’t always go as planned. But that is when you learn to make lemonade out of the lemon’s life throws you.
It is tempting to try to please others when you are starting out. You talk a lot about the importance of being your own person. How do you propose people go about this and still maintain favor with others?
After you have taken deliberate actions toward achieving what you want, you also must make conscious choices that align to your values, beliefs, moral compass, and aspirations. I was never a person that went with the crowd, and people always knew what I stood for, albeit many times different from their beliefs. Because I stood firm on my convictions, people respected me. It is only when you are wishy washy and try and please everyone that you go out of favor. Stand firm on your convictions.
Especially early on, work can be all-encompassing. How can people find a balance between work, leisure, and meaningful relationships?
Life is always about prioritizing. Clear strong choices automatically filter out distractions. Eliminate unnecessary commitments. Avoid wasting time on activities that do not contribute to your purpose. As an example, I like golf, but golf takes 4-6 hours to play. I gave up golf in my early thirties for 20 years because I didn’t think I could be a good golfer and a great father (my jobs were fairly inflexible in hours).
Once my children were grown, I took golf back up. Family time over personal golf time was simply more of a priority.
Worrying about the job and doubting our abilities are common feelings. What advice can you offer to help someone move forward when they are wondering “Can I Do This?”
There has been more than one time in my life that I had the imposter syndrome. Can I really do this job? Am I smart enough? Will people follow my leadership? Have the confidence in yourself to know that you are prepared for the next big thing. You will make mistakes along the way, but 99% of mistakes are not fatal to one’s career. If you think you can do the job and have the confidence to do the job, the people around you will feed off your confidence. You can do this!!
In order to move into higher leadership roles, one must be ready to step in front of an audience. What advice can you offer to help someone find their voice and trust it?
Start small. Public speaking is one of the greatest fears people have. I had that same fear early on. I started by speaking to small groups of high school students when I was in college. I took a class on public speaking and honed my approach. Most people are great at speaking about something that they are passionate and knowledgeable about. Know your topic better (at least as well as) your audience, be prepared, make it personal with stories (people love stories), and make it fun.