I had an interesting experience this weekend I’d like to share with you. Something that reminded me how differently that high achieving individuals think than the rest of the world. Something that should resonate heavily with you. And something that you should never lose sight of if you are going to be a high achiever.
I was driving home from a family event with my grandmother in the car with me. We were having a nice conversation about things I’ve been doing, things I’m working on now, and things that I have coming up.
She asked me if I had any travel plans coming up.
I said, “Yea actually. I’m headed out to Scottsdale for a conference in October. It’s a conference for Internet entrepreneurs. It should be really cool.”
So then she said something that really caught me off guard. She said, “So… Why do you do that to yourself?”
Huh?? What??
I was completely freaking shocked at the question. At first it sounded like she was doubting my drive and motivation. It took me literally 10 seconds to gather myself. I bet my mouth was hanging open like a fish. I nearly drifted into the next lane while I was in a blind daze all to simply get out… “Because I want to be better.”
Even though it’s not exactly the world’s most elegant answer – it’s the truth. I’m not even really sure how the conversation progressed after that. I know we talked the rest of the way home, but I don’t remember it. I guess I blacked out into my own mind after being so shocked at that whopper of a question.
So later that night I was thinking about what she said and what she meant by it. Did she really think I was stressing out and struggling over going to conferences, reading, and all of the other things that I do? Was she doubting that I could change the world?
It soon hit me. Nothing against my grandma. She’s done a lot for me and I love her very much, but her and probably a lot of other people in the world just don’t think like I do, or like you do. Some people are completely content with life and don’t have a desire to be better. Some people just completely accept being mediocre, and their perception of the act of improving themselves is a large amount of work.
Some just people haven’t yet discovered the ability to think big… and maybe they never will.
They’ve never thought about their perfect day. So to them, dream line style goals are completely unfathomable.
Well, not to me. And not to you either.
I love conferences. I love reading. I love classrooms. I love learning new skills and applying them to what I do. I love continually challenging myself to be a better person and to do better for this world. And I love doing those things even more because I know they are going to equip me to change the world.
What some people might think of as torturous work as my grandma did, I just really genuinely enjoy.
And You Must Think This Way Too
Don’t let anyone talk you out of your goals. They’re yours and no one else’s. Surround yourself with successful people that will encourage you, and ignore the naysayers.
Constant learning is in the Fast Track Formula of Academy Success for a reason. For the high achiever, learning can never stop. You must have a thirst for information, an addiction to knowledge, a constant desire to better yourself. All of the high achievers I’ve ever met are constant learners, and constant action takers. They balance these two traits perfectly.
Otherwise, you end up hitting a brick wall in your 20s and only learn what you need to survive. And if you were only looking to survive, if you were only looking to be mediocre, if you didn’t want to somehow make a difference, you wouldn’t be reading this blog right now.
So your takeaway for this one is one thing and one thing only. Like Alec Baldwin preaches to his sales reps that they should Always Be Closing, I want you to remember this.
Always Be Improving.
Otherwise you’re just another mediocre member of society, and I know you don’t want that.