Saturday, November 9, 2013

Swan Dive into Commitment - 8 Simple Principles

The advantage of a small pond or big pond does not depend on size of the fish, but rather the tenacity and agility of the fish. Most of the time, I’d argue it is better to be a small fish in a big pond. There are a myriad of different reasons, but was reminded of this yesterday, when playing when competing against the best, you learn more, you get tougher and you are forced to keep improving and never rest on your laurels.
 
Always keep on exploring and testing your own personal boundaries. Consider whether there are any activities in life where if you chose a less crowded approach, where you up your game. The fish I was referencing before does not get tenacious by resting on its laurels.  Once you start doing that, game over, people are already surpassing you.
 
You want to mass so many advantages in your favor that, when time comes, when the opportunity presents itself, you can’t help but win. By incrementally improving various elements of yourself and your position, you can dramatically enhance your chances of success in whatever you’re trying to do.
Think about what you can start doing tomorrow to up your game.  What are you committed to do differently?
 
1. Commitment – How serious are you reaching this goal? Are you willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done? A strong commitment is a powerful advantage.

2. Focus - Do you know exactly what you want or is it a more vague idea? Will you get distracted about other shiny objects? The clearer you are on exactly what you’re trying to achieve, the better.

3. Depth – How much do you know about this area of endeavor? A deep level of knowledge and experience is a huge advantage against common/foolish mistakes and ignorant plebes

4. Rationale – Are you fully aware of the situation that you’re operating in? The more you understand the landscape, the more effective you’ll be and the less likely you’ll be out maneuvered.

5. Team - Do you have the respect and trust of people who could help you get the job done? Start building relationships with key players before you need them.

6. Horizon Planning – Are you making your moves at the right time and with the right speed? Sometimes being patient is critical, while other times overwhelming velocity is the way to go.

7. Assets - Do you have the right tools & adequate funding to make this happen? The more you have on hand and the more you can obtain quickly/easily, the better.

8. Reset – What’s your backup plan if your approach fails? There is great advantage to being able to quickly & easily regroup and try again?

What are you going to do today?

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