Success isn’t an accident, it’s a process, educator says in book
Brian Corey understands that, in the pursuit of life’s goals, the starting line isn’t the same for everyone, that personal circumstances or economic situations or even your zip code can be obstacles to getting ahead. But he believes he has an answer for getting over, around or through the things you can’t control – and getting where you want to go.
He calls it the P.R.O.C.E.S.S. – a methodical approach to achievement propelled by vision and self-discipline that Corey lays out in both practical and personal terms in his new book “SCORE: Achieving Goals at Any Age.”
Corey knows of what he speaks. At 35, and now director of testing and accountability for Lenoir County Public Schools, he’s already compiled a list of accomplishments as an educator: a North Carolina Teaching Fellows scholarship, a North Carolina Principals Fellow scholarship, a master’s degree in school administration and positions as a middle school and high school principal.
He was a finalist in the 2012 Toastmasters International Speech Contest, which crowns the world champion of public speaking, and has grown a lifelong interest in motivational and self-help programs into his own You Tube channel, social media outlets and website, where he shares his vision for achieving personal success.
“The message is that people can take a strategic process in order to achieve their goal and that there are certain things they have to keep in mind as they approach their goals,” Corey said.
His book breaks down those steps to success as the P.R.O.C.E.S.S. – preparation, research, (combatting) opposition, coaching, energy, seeding (or investing in your growth) and strategy. But, as Corey explains, “steps” might not be the best way to look at a process that is ongoing, expansive and – however methodically it may be presented – is hardly mechanical.
“People talk about steps, but I think of them more as action habits; you have to get in the mindset of creating action habits, things that we do consistently, not just approaching it as a box to be checked off,” Corey said.
His run to the finalists of the Toastmaster’s International competition illustrates the approach Corey takes to setting and achieving goals.
It starts with a vision – in this case, learning about the competition at a local Toastmasters meeting in 2009 – and the vision leads to a plan. And not a half-baked plan, but a detailed plan that employs preparation, research and strategic thinking.
“One of the things people often don’t do is having clarity around the goal,” Corey said. “People can see what they want but haven’t really defined the intricate details of what they want. I think clarity is key – the clarity in terms of the big picture and then clarity in terms of what needs to be done.”
He approached the international competition by making monthly speeches at his local club and, in 2010, advancing to the regional competition. He finished second. He finished second at the state level. His path to the international event was blocked.
“One thing I think is really important in the P.R.O.C.E.S.S. is Opposition, because I think sometimes when we focus on goals we think about the plan but I’m not always certain we’re mindful of the fact that this is going to come with some challenges,” Corey said. “Sometimes when we are faced with those challenges, it can derail us and cause us to lose our focus.”
He may have despaired in 2010 but he didn’t drop out. “I began to fortify myself with my goal to participate … in the contest. I focused on how to increase the humor in my presentations. My vision was clear and I knew I would have to tell a series of compelling stories to have a chance to compete,” Corey writes in “SCORE.”
His march to the finals began in May 2012 and in August he was speaking to a crowd of thousands as an international finalist in a competition that started with 5,000 contestants.
“There was so much thought put into that, as to how I was actually going to achieve that goal and so many systems that I put in place and checkpoints I put in place in order to ensure,” Corey remembered. “Then when you had a failure, when it didn’t work out, you come back to the drawing board and set another plan.”
In shaping his attitude of achievement, Corey credits the influence of his parents and his older brother and the family’s clear-headed approach to getting thing done during his growing-up years in Greenville. But his is a system that can be effective, regardless of where you started or where you are now, he says.
As an educator, he’s particularly interested in getting that message out to young people contemplating careers and personal ambitions.
“As a senior in high school, for instance, you have that goal of what you want to pursue, but you need to understand there are some steps you have to take,” Corey said. “You can have the goal of being a doctor, of getting into medical school, but everything you do between now and then has to be done to the level of excellence. So the goal is not just to graduate and get the degree; the goal is to make sure you maximize everything in between. Having those habits that take you step-by-step is the goal within the goal.”
Corey devotes a chapter in the book to the importance of coaching and calls attention to people he’s read and admired, to people he still calls on for advice. “If you think your success is an isolated effort,” he writes, “think again.”
To the job titles of educator and youth pastor, Brian Corey could add the title of coach with the publication of “SCORE,” a coach for a new generation.
“I decided to write the book because I just wanted to leave some thoughts with young people in particular as to how they can achieve goals they’ve set for themselves,” Corey said. “I just wanted to leave something that was going to impact that generation.”
“SCORE” is available on Amazon. A virtual book signing is upcoming, the author says. Readers can check for details and learn more about Brian Corey at www.bcorey.com, on Instagram at briancoreyspeaks, on Facebook at Brian Corey and on You Tube at https://youtube.com/channel/UCgkbuBWqmA5pquFixevdoOg
