how to be the best at what you do
Have you ever found yourself striving to be ‘the best’? The best leader or perhaps the best in your industry?
Often, when people say they want to be ‘the best’, I notice that they are comparing themselves to others. They are thinking about other leaders in their organisation, or other leaders they’ve worked with in the past; or they are comparing their business to competitors in their industry. But direct comparisons are hard to make because we’re all different, and all businesses are different: we have different backgrounds, strengths, situations and aspirations. So, comparing yourself directly to others can be unrealistic and potentially dangerous. By using others as a benchmark, you might be using an inappropriate role model or you could even be setting the bar too low!
Instead, what’s more effective, and more rewarding, is to focus on yourself and on striving to become better than you were. Becoming ‘the best’ is a journey that you take one step at a time.
In this blog post, I’m going to outline four simple steps you should take in order to move along that journey.
Review your strengths
The concept of a personal SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) is not new. Many people are aware, at least to some degree, of their own personal strengths and weaknesses. However, most people tend to focus on fixing their weaknesses. And here’s the problem: often, what they’ve really identified is an aspect of their work that they don’t enjoy or that requires low-skill. So by attempting to ‘improve’ that aspect they run the risk of exacerbating the issue because they spend more time and effort on something that is actually unrewarding for them.
Rather than spending all your time patching up your weaknesses, it’s best to identify your strengths and work on leveraging them even further. I’m not suggesting you ignore areas of weakness but give priority to your strengths, instead. Your strengths are likely to form the foundation of what makes you different, maybe even unique. And they’re almost certainly aspects of your work that you enjoy the most or you may even feel passionate about those aspects of your work. Developing your areas of strength, or passion, is both rewarding and more likely to set you apart from others.
Create a Vision
Next create a vision of what type of leader, or what type of organisation, you want to be. What do you want to be known for? How do you want people to feel when they work with you? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
Make the vision crystal clear. Imagine yourself, or your company, living that vision. Think about how that makes you feel. That last step is important: ‘experiencing’ your vision will help you understand why it’s important to you and will help drive you towards that vision.
Once the vision is clear, ask yourself how that leader, or business, behaves. If you’ve created a vision for the leader you want to be, what disciplines and habits does that leader adhere to? What standards do they have? How do they deal with challenges and pressure? If your vision is for the business you want to lead, what is the culture of that business? What are its rules and procedures? How is perceived by its customers?
To become the leader, or the business, in your vision, these are the behaviours you will need to develop.
Plan for Development
If your vision is ambitious you will have to grow and develop into it. So, the third step is to determine what skills, qualities and knowledge you will need in order to move yourself along the journey toward your vision. Create a plan: what training will you complete, what coaching will you have, which books will you read, which conferences and webinars will you attend? And when?
Developing yourself requires an investment in you, certainly in time but perhaps financially too.
Planning and formalising it will make it happen and ensure you get a good return on your investment.
Create Affirmations
Some people find that using Affirmations is a powerful complement to their vision and plan.
Affirmations are simple, specific and positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotage and negative thoughts. They are a declaration of a completed goal.
Many people find them awkward including, if I’m honest, me. Just the thought of looking in the mirror and telling myself I’m awesome makes me cringe. However, using them in a way you feel comfortable can have a profound effect on the mind.
Create Affirmations that remind you of your vision and reinforce the journey you are on. For example…
“I am on the journey to becoming a better leader”
“I am disciplined and get things done”
“I spend at least an hour a day on my own development”
Repeated daily, or at least frequently, will help you visualise a different and empowered future for yourself.
Striving to be the best is an admirable goal. But comparing yourself to others can be dangerous. Being the best is personal. Instead, focus on yourself and how you can be better. Using the 4 steps in this blog can help you on the journey of becoming better and, ultimately, the best that you can be.
If you’d like to chat about your own journey and need some support, contact me here.