Mathematician, Alfred North Whitehead said,
"Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations
which we can perform without thinking about them." A first order condition
for safety, peace and functionality, in any society, is ensuring that the
necessary parameters for progress are in place - justice, freedom and
sovereignty.
Take a good look at ultra-successful individuals in our
society today; you’ll notice that they live their lives according to a strict
set of personal principles more defined than their more average counterparts.
Individuals, who choose to be something other than just ordinary, also require
a similar “code of conduct” concerning their affaires.
In our quest to become the best version of ourselves, it is
imperative we construct a blueprint to live by. Of course, nothing is set in
stone and as we move forward and our experience builds up, we assess our
performance and tweak our creeds accordingly. As the common saying goes, “He
who fails to plan, plans to fail”.
To achieve that higher level of performance, we need to
consistently inquire, search, and be willing to learn, grow and adapt to the
sea of unforeseeable circumstances lying ahead. Remember, this is a journey,
not a destination; a marathon, not a sprint; a process, not a single step.
I like Shiv Khera's quote that says, “Winners don’t do
different things, they do things differently” How do we know what to do
differently and what to copy from others? How do we figure out what works best
for us and what doesn't? How do we find our zone and stay within its boundaries
to best harness our potential? Bottom-line, if we are not improving, then what
are we doing?
Here are a few reminders on how to get back on
the fast track to becoming a little better, everyday.
1. Understand Yourself:
"Ben Franklin wrote, “Three things are very hard;
diamonds, steel, and finding our unique, individual abilities. You have to
discover, essentially, who you are to best understand how to reach the apex of
your capacity.
Exercising the natural instinct of self observation and
taking mental notes - sometimes even literal ones - on how we respond to
different circumstances may be a good way to start the road to self
realization. It’s a personal assignment we cannot delegate. We note when our
energies are highest? The best times to work, play, rest and recuperate.
Learning new things about yourself and your potential should
be a lifelong quest… It’s fun… your destiny is in your own hands so why not
mold yourself - as clay - and create that ultimate version of yourself. I
believe that there’s nothing we cannot achieve. N/B: “Whatever a man thinks
about day and night, everyday will surely come to pass. You attract the world
you live in”.
2. Understand Your Goals:
Running at the fastest speed in the wrong direction will not
get you to the finish line. It is your duty to decide what you want to do with
your life. Decide your goal, understand the implications and figure out how to
get there.
Above all else, what do you believe is your sole purpose?
What do you believe you were born to do? If at the end of the day you only have
this single act done, will you be satisfied? Intensity beats extensity every
time… The earlier you begin the better…
I personally believe there’s always a better way of getting
things done. For every path you choose, come consequences and it’s up to you
figure out how to get to the Promised Land. Hey, aggressive action is not
effective action – Settle down, decide then commit.
3. Read Biographies;
“Nothing is new under the sun”. For every path you choose or
decision you make, you can almost, always be sure that someone, somewhere has
tried it and failed, or succeeded before you… So it’s up to us to learn from
that experience. Why reinvent the wheel? Why repeat their mistakes when we can
stand on the shoulders of giants and begin from there. I often tell my younger
brother that, "old literature never dies"… I don’t believe in old
news, there’s always a lesson to learn…
4. Encourage Grit:
“Bend but don’t break” – That was the slogan for the 2009
NBA Champions, Los Angeles Lakers. Coach Phil Jackson – a.k.a. Zen Master calls
this the “bamboo philosophy. To become better you have to keep trying… It’s as
simple as that… For every milestone reached in our quest for success, I believe
there’s this virtual turning-point whereby, it’s quit now and forget about it
or, take one more step and here it is…
The beautiful thing about this journey is, most times we
never know when we get to that point. Thomas Edison, one of the world’s
greatest inventors said, "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to
NOT make a light bulb." My father once told me, “Don’t change
the winning formula”. You’ve got to keep trying…
5. Have Faith:
Ask anyone who has ever knocked down a buzzer-beating
jump-shot if while they were pulling up to shoot, they were thinking of
missing? Do we wait for all the lights to become green before we leave the
house? That initial fuel behind our decision to take a step towards any given
venture is faith – “The evidence of the unseen, the substance of things hoped
for”.
You may be thinking, I don’t think I have what it takes…
Hey! Who knows?!? But remember this: “A ship is safe at harbor but that’s not
what ships are for”.
6. Execute:
The recently retired coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Phil
Jackson - a.k.a The Zen Master - reminded his guys that all their practice
sessions we led to naught if they couldn’t execute their plays down the
stretch. You can have the best thought out plan, with the most cutting edge
technology, but without execution, it is nothing but paperwork…
As we practice being the best version of ourselves, and
renew our quest to become a little better every day, it is imperative we enjoy
the ride.
Enjoy the challenge of trying again, regardless of the odds…
Checking our tools… Checking ourselves… and doing our homework…
You might have your own set of rules, rituals, or personal
standards you hold yourself by. Please feel free to share in the comments section below.
