Are you tired of just coasting along hoping for great results? You don’t have to continue to be stuck in the same old patterns getting the same mediocre outcomes. You can choose to do something different.
When we feel stuck, it’s often traced back to losing clarity or focus on our goals. Our mindset gets out of whack and we drift like a boat being tossed by the waves. When you feel that way, it’s a good idea to pause and collect your thoughts. If you’re feeling negative self-talk and self-sabotaging behaviors creeping in, take a look at your daily habits.
You may have slipped out of alignment with your values and vision. The next time you’re feeling out of sorts, see if implementing some of these habits will help you get unstuck and back into high performance mode:
- Pay Attention – Champions are always learning new things and looking for ways to apply a new twist to an old idea. They understand that a truth from an unrelated subject can be applied to a current problem or challenge. Using the law of relativity in their life and business gives them an advantage over their competition. Practice tapping into the right side of your brain daily to stoke your creativity.
- Dump your baggage – High performers don’t have time to worry about what others think of them or how they run their businesses. They are ultra focused on achieving their goals and taking action. If you’re searching for a high performance formula in your business start by asking yourself these four questions: 1) Is it the truth? 2) Is it fair to all concerned? 3) Will it build goodwill and better relationships? And, 4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned? These questions will help you bring alignment between your conscience and actions. When you stop carrying around the baggage of what others think, you’ll start to see new outcomes in your life and business.
- Employ common sense – Champions don’t set out to reinvent the wheel. They look for simple solutions to complex problems. The easier the fix, the faster the problem can be resolved. The KISS (Keep It Simple Simon) principle is a tool every high achiever employs in his life and business. Looking at your situation from a bird’s eye view can help you see the forest through the trees and devise a quick and easy action plan. Using common sense removes the need to overthink any given challenge. Take a look at your five most pressing issues and ask your five-year-old self how he/she would solve the problem.
- Increase competencies – Champions know it’s not good enough to just cram for an exam. Temporary spikes in performance aren’t sustainable and make it impossible to reach the finish line. Navy Seals spend 8-weeks in a physical conditioning program to increase their competency levels. That time frame seems to be the threshold for upleveling skills from physical fitness to meditation. While eight weeks is not long enough to become proficient in a new skill, it is the amount of time your brain requires to build new neural pathways and resilience. If you want to be recognized as an industry expert in your field in the next 3 – 5 years, commit to investing an additional hour each day to learning and growing.
- Cultivate courage – You’ve probably heard the phrase, “No guts. No glory.” I think that is the mantra of every Champion I know. They realize there is a time clock ticking away in the background of their life and they are committed to taking the action required to achieve their dreams. They are not deterred by the risk taking or the courage required for them to stare down their fears. If you want to build confidence quickly, make a list of 10 things you’re afraid to do and commit to doing one each quarter. You’ll be amazed at how your perspective will change.
- Let your convictions drive you – Having strong convictions give leaders the power to influence others to help them change the world. Martin Luther King Jr comes to mind. In his speech, “I have a Dream” he was able to start a movement that still moves the hearts and minds of people today. Champions take the time to invest in their passions and fully participate in life. Are you ready to get off the sidelines and get your head back in the game? Rate your passion level on the work you do, if you’re less than a 7 out of 10 commit to doing one thing that will boost your conviction level.
- Hone in your communication skills – Networking is a lost art. Cultivating relationships that are mutually beneficial is crucial to a Champion’s success. An active network is worth it’s price in gold. If you lost everything in a disaster, could you rebuild your life and business based on your network? If your answer is, “I’m not sure,” take some time to finesse your interpersonal conversation skills. Learn to ask great questions that keep the conversation focused on the lives of others, especially their ideas, concepts, and contributions, and take copious mental notes on their responses.
- Be decisive – Due diligence is important, but making good decisions is what keeps your business moving forward. Even the best leaders feel pressure to make decisions under unprecedented circumstances, but they step up to the plate and take ownership and responsibility. Champions play to win and that means understanding that each decision holds a certain level of risk. Courage and confidence are key elements that great leaders possess. If you’ve been stuck trying to make a tough decision, commit to growing your decision making muscle by making a decision and taking action in the next 24 hours.
- Commit to the journey – Self-discipline is what separates good from great. When Champions commit to a goal, they give up the need for pleasure based outcomes, instead, they focus on the goal. They commit to keeping the promises they’ve made to themselves and with each promise kept, their confidence and self-esteem skyrocket. They don’t let emotions get in the way of taking action. On a scale of 1 – 10, how would you rate your self discipline in your business, relationships and personal development?
- Cultivate determination – Winners have a will to win that surpasses the average person. It is a desire that is cultivated deep within their soul and they can’t be deterred from doing what it takes to accomplish their goal. They adopt an attitude of “whatever it takes” and they stick to it. You see, they made the decision in advance to stick to it, no matter what the cost, so it’s easy to live out the choice rather than making the choice daily to dig deep and keep going. They know there will be pain and sacrifice along the way and they are prepared to endure the discomfort to claim victory. Their ability to withstand setbacks, criticism, and even failure make them a ferocious competitor. If you’re feeling like you’ve lost your desire to WIN, create a plan to increase your mental toughness and get back into the game.
Are you a fan of the Rocky movies? I have seen them all! His unwavering commitment to achieve his goal is commendable. He kept at it even when his support system begged him to stop. Sometimes those closest to us can’t see our BIG vision which can make us feel abandoned or misunderstood.
It can be tough to keep going when we think that we’re in it alone. That’s why investing in your personal growth on a daily basis is vital to making your BIGGEST dreams come true. Hard times always come, so take intentional action now to be prepared for when those times come.
That’s where a coach can come alongside you and help you regain perspective and get you back in the game. We all need to have a coach in our corner when we feel like we’ve been through the ringer. If you’re struggling and can’t seem to get back on track, schedule a Coach in a Pocket call with me. I can help you find a solution and help you regain momentum!
Champion Leaders Corner 