Sheldon Yellen, CEO of Belfor, aligns with Generation Z’s belief in the power of manifesting success, though he asserts that visualization must be coupled with relentless commitment and a practice of daily accountability. Each night, he engages in a reflective process by posing a crucial question to himself.
While many individuals may express gratitude or review their to-do lists before bed, Yellen evaluates his daily productivity and encourages young professionals to adopt the same habit. He describes this routine during an interview with Fortune, stating that as he prepares for bed, he looks into the mirror and asks himself how productive he had been that day. He stresses the importance of answering this question with complete honesty.
Following this self-assessment, Yellen assigns himself a productivity score, with 1% representing the least productive day. Such a low score, he admits, would propel him into action as he wouldn’t be able to sleep otherwise. When mentoring young people, he advises them to reflect on their day in a similar manner, examining how effectively they used their time.
Yellen’s nightly routine serves as a self-imposed examination of personal success, underscoring the notion that one’s achievements are self-determined. He exemplifies this principle through his own life story. Raised in poverty, Yellen began working as a dishwasher at 11 years old in a Coney Island diner before securing a job at an upscale men’s health club in Detroit. His early work involved shining shoes and cleaning tasks, opportunities he approached with dedication, believing that consistent effort would eventually be recognized.
After leaving high school, Yellen’s work ethic included multiple jobs, such as shoe shining, car washing, and chauffeuring, which he pursued relentlessly—eventually entering the restoration industry at age 26. Rising from the 19th employee to CEO, he now oversees approximately 12,000 employees at Belfor, the world’s largest disaster recovery company. His tenure includes managing large-scale recovery efforts from incidents such as the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina.
Reflecting on his journey, Yellen credits his success to visualization linked with unwavering commitment. While visualizing success is valuable, he emphasizes that it must be accompanied by nightly truths about one’s productivity. Patience and dedication, he suggests, are key, as well as fostering belief in others regarding one’s steadfast commitment, thus inviting support along the way.
Yellen’s insights and practices were initially detailed in an article on Fortune.com.
