To separate yourself from the crowd, you must stand out in a sea of average. To stand out, do the opposite of average.
Getting better is hard. We all need help. Even the highest level professionals in the world have a coach. Use these tips and strategies to help yourself get better today.
Confidence
Is This Even Possible?
Is it physically possible to run a mile in less than four minutes?
This question haunted coaches and runners for over 50 years.
Doctors and athletes alike agreed this barrier was unbreakable.
In 1954, Roger Bannister proved all of the experts wrong. He finished his one mile race in 3:59.4.
Bannister did it. He showed the world the impossible was indeed possible!
After Bannister’s record breaking race, something odd happened. Runners across the world started beating the time too.
Less than 2 months later, Bannister’s record time was beaten by a full second. Only one year later, three runners beat the four minute mark in the same race.
Why? Why did a mark that stood for so long start being beaten regularly after Bannister’s historic race?
The answer is psychological not physical.
Bannister showed the world what was possible. Runners began to believe they could do it too.
They got rid of their “it’s impossible” mindset and adopted an “it’s possible” one.
It is amazing what the body can do when the mind knows it is possible. When you believe anything is possible, it truly is!
Confidence Connection: Confidence is believing you can do it. If you are having a hard time believing in yourself, surround yourself with people who will show you it is possible.
Composure
A Little Thing That Makes a Big Difference
Your attitude “shapes the outcome of everyday dealings in huge ways”.
One important way your attitude shapes your outcomes is by the people you attract.
Thought leader Shane Parrish put it this way: “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you where you are going.”
Like it or not, the people you run with directly impact your future.
One of the easiest ways to level up your future is to be intentional about who you surround yourself with.
If you want to change who you run with, you better check your attitude.
People get turned off by a negative attitude. If you want to attract great people, you must intentionally choose a positive attitude “no matter what”.
Former college basketball coach George Raveling recently tweeted, “Now is an excellent time to audit and upgrade our personal relationships.”
It might be a great time to audit and upgrade your attitude too.
Composure Connection: Success often comes down to relationships. No one wants to spend time with someone that has a bad attitude. Make the intentional decision to be aware of your attitude at all times.
Consistency
Create Results, Not Excuses
“Successful people recognize the critical difference between an explanation and an excuse – an explanation accepts full responsibility and an excuse places blame.”
Excuses might make you feel better in the moment, but they don’t help you get successful results.
People make excuses to justify their own behavior. They are a defense mechanism to divert personal responsibility or avoid consequences.
Trying to justify why you shouldn’t be held accountable is a short term fix. It only wastes valuable time and energy that could be spent on a solution.
When things go wrong look for evidence to explain why you failed and accept full responsibility for your role in the issue. For example, if you are late don’t give an excuse such as “The traffic was horrible.”
Instead accept responsibility with an explanation like, “I didn’t leave early enough and allow myself enough time to account for the traffic.”
Consistency Connection: Instead of deflecting responsibility when things go wrong, acknowledge your role in the mishap and explain how you will do better next time. Your explanation is a commitment that you can and will improve.
Quote of the Week:
“Well done is better than well said.” – Ben Franklin
Be excellent this week. Do the opposite of average!
Yancey Sanderson
Follow me on Twitter @YanceySanderson
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