One thing that just about any successful person will tell you is that they had someone that they looked up to who served as a guideline or blueprint for their climb to success. It’s not so much that you need to pick a successful person and mimic them—even though it’s not a half-bad idea—but you can draw on them for inspiration and learn from their experiences.
John Arnold is one of those blueprint types of people from whom there is much to learn. Not only is he a billionaire investor and philanthropist, but some even consider him to be the best energy trader ever! One might even say he’s the Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali of traders. Continue reading to learn what you can learn from Arnold about what it takes to be successful.
Strive to make yourself invaluable.
Believe it or not, Arnold didn’t start at the top even though he worked his way up so quickly that it may seem as though he did. However, Arnold put his intentions and efforts into making himself invaluable to the company when he was an oil analyst at Enron. From there, he quickly became an assistant trader and then within a year. Within a year of being at Enron, Arnold was promoted to overseeing natural gas derivatives at the Natural Gas Desk.
Even though Arnold made larges strides very quickly in his time at Enron, the point is that he made those strides because he made himself invaluable to the company. Everyone would like to have opportunities to advance their careers, but many people aren’t prepared for the career acceleration they desire.
Arnold made himself an invaluable asset to Enron from the moment he took the job, and that paved his way to becoming a rising star in the energy trading world. Doing your job effectively and offering new ideas to improve company operations is a great way to show that you’re ready to take on more responsibility.
Clothes don’t make the person, but they do tell you a lot about that person.
Even though your wardrobe doesn’t define you, you should always strive to look the part of the vision you have of yourself. The fact of the matter is that people will judge you by your personal appearance and even your wardrobe choices. That’s why you have to treat dressing like it’s part of your personal marketing campaign—because it is.
If you’re a man and looking for ways you can stay stylish and establish a look that conveys professionalism and class, you should visit The Quintessential Man (thequintessentialman.com). This website strives to provide men with the tools they need to live life to the maximum. It’s important to remember the importance of first impressions and make an effort to always look like someone who knows what they’re talking about.
Integrity is more important than individual success.
One of the things you’ll learn about Arnold if you dig deep into his career is that integrity is more important to him than individual success. He was at Enron when it was busted for corruption and insider trading, yet Arnold was never accused of any wrongdoing.
Arnold is a great example of how to achieve your goals without taking shortcuts—even when it feels like everyone around you is taking that shortcut. Maintaining his integrity when the temptation is right there must certainly have been hard for Arnold, and the fact that he didn’t speaks volumes about his values.
It’s important to be part of something larger than yourself.
One of the most important lessons to learn from John Arnold is that it’s important to be a part of something that’s bigger than yourself. We know that great success comes with great responsibility, but it should also come with a strong desire to see others fulfill their potential and live their dreams.
After leaving Enron and starting his own hedge fund, Arnold’s net worth skyrocketed into the billions of dollars. In recent years, Arnold retired from managing the hedge fund so he could focus all of his attention on philanthropy and the Arnold Foundation. He and his wife Laura Arnold are original signatories of the Giving Pledge, which was a pledge by high-net worth individuals to give the majority of their income to philanthropic causes.