If top performers are like Superman, then their kryptonite is becoming too attached to the rewards of success. The boldness and courage that led them to becoming top performers can give way to reserve and apathy if they become too dependent on their material and psychic riches. It can become very difficult for them to risk losing their title or income by saying the "wrong" thing. These golden handcuffs can choke the resolve out of a top performer.

If you are facing this predicament, here are five steps you can take to avoid the golden handcuffs:

1. Recall What You Stand For
2. Realize There Are Always Greater Rewards
3. Remember The Thrill Of The Climb
4. Remain True To Your Dream
5. Refocus On Your Craft

RECALL WHAT YOU STAND FOR

As a top performer, you probably separated yourself from the rest of the pack by sticking to what you believed was the right thing to do. The challenging part happens when the rewards start to roll in: the bigger paycheck, the nicer car, the bigger home, the way your family members and friends perceive you, etc. However, you will inevitably run into a situation where you will have to make a decision that could infuriate your boss or a key customer. What will you do? Do you step off of the integrity pedal in order to keep the boss or the customer momentarily appeased or do you keep saying and doing what you believe is the right thing to do? This is the moment where you will either rise or fall back as a top performer. It will be incredibly hard to explain to your neighbors, friends and family members that you lost your position. They might wonder if you were just a flash in the pan. Some of those people will no longer be praising you or admiring you for your success. You may have to sell your big home or car. The only way to justify this potential loss is to mentally go back and recall what you really believe in. Your honesty that was so admired on your way up may now be looked upon as a detriment. Perhaps the CEO doesn't want to hear an opposing opinion in a board meeting or in a one-to-one conversation. However, recall the beliefs and principles that you built your career and stick to them. If you can do that, you will have an opportunity to rise again. If you can't do that, then your growth is over as a productive employee. In his book, "The Measure Of A Man", Sidney Poitier writes about turning down a part in a film when he desperately needed the money because he did not believe in the values of the character he would be portraying. This is the integrity that he maintained throughout his entire career and helped him to become one of the greatest actors of all time.

REALIZE THERE ARE ALWAYS GREATER REWARDS

If you are driven by the material and psychic rewards of a big salary and title, then realize that there are always people out there who have bigger salaries and bigger titles than you have. Therefore the same behavior that led you to your current success will lead you to even greater success if you have the courage to stay the course. Stick to what you believe in and keep doing what you've been doing. If you are tempted to cash it all in for your current golden handcuffs, then realize that you are giving up even greater rewards. You may have a short-term fall off, but you give yourself the opportunity to go to a much higher level.

REMEMBER THE THRILL OF THE CLIMB

At the moment you are considering doing something just to avoid controversy, remember what it was like when you were first starting out. Remember the feeling of excitement and adventure you experienced when you were trying cutting-edge ideas that other people laughed at. You knew back then that you were ahead of your time, but that it would all pay off in the end. You were absorbed in your efforts to make a difference. I remember when I was building The Coughlin Company on a part-time basis: giving free speeches to dozens of groups, looking for any little opportunity to present my ideas and learning from every situation. I was filled with a sense of excitement, and that feeling propelled me to keep going. Now that my business has generated a certain level of success there is a temptation not to upset certain clients. However, the key is for me to hang onto that thrill of being on the edge and challenging other people to never be satisfied with their status quo. By never letting go of the "early day emotions", I can continue to propel myself to higher and higher levels of effectiveness and you can as well.

REMAIN TRUE TO YOUR DREAM

Every top performer I know of is an idealist at some level. They have a dream that propels them forward. My dream from day one, even when I was a college coach, was to work with top performers who wanted practical ways to achieve better results as individuals and as part of a group. The dream never changed. The medium shifted from college coaching to high school teaching to building a consulting firm, but the dream never changed.

What was your dream when you started your climb to being a top performer? Write it down. Recall it in detail. Then ask yourself if what you are doing and saying today is an indication that you are remaining true to your dream or not. If it is, then keep on going. If it is not, reexamine your behaviors. Get back to your dream. It is the fuel that will propel you to a higher level of performance.

REFOCUS ON YOUR CRAFT

In the beginning, it was your craft that motivated you. Whether it was law or management or acting or something else, you lived to perfect your craft. Then success started pouring in and perhaps you took your eye off of your "golden goose." The thrill of refining your craft was replaced by the thrill of accumulating riches. As you let go of your craft, you became less of an artist and more of a banker. Your performance leveled off and frustration set in. Now you have more goods, but less self-esteem. I encourage you to refocus on your craft, the thing that brought you so much pleasure from the beginning. I met someone recently who talked about having some one else write a seminar, get an "angel" to fund the marketing, sit back and count the profit, and then sell the business to someone else. Even if this plan worked, my question is, "What's the point? Isn't there anything to be said for being a craftsman? Where's the fulfillment of building something that lasts and continually improves?" Top performers realize that their craft represents their body of work and strive to continually hone their craft. This becomes their goal rather than the attainment of golden handcuffs.

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