Who Is a High Performer?
A high performer is anyone who needs to perform at a higher level.
This could be an athlete, a business person, a sales person, an entrepreneur, a manager or a CEO, a doctor or an attorney.
And even though I just mentioned some of the common professions where high performance is required, the reality is a high performer could be anybody! Anybody who needs to step up and perform at a higher level on a daily basis is a high performer. As an example, a parent could be a high performer. Somebody juggling between parenting, busy work schedule and keeping his or her body in shape, is also a high performer.
This could be an athlete, a business person, a sales person, an entrepreneur, a manager or a CEO, a doctor or an attorney.
And even though I just mentioned some of the common professions where high performance is required, the reality is a high performer could be anybody! Anybody who needs to step up and perform at a higher level on a daily basis is a high performer. As an example, a parent could be a high performer. Somebody juggling between parenting, busy work schedule and keeping his or her body in shape, is also a high performer.
What is High-Performance?
Simply put, high performance is putting your best self forward. It's stepping up and delivering.
And it's also taking care of yourself during the process, so you don't burn out.
And it's also taking care of yourself during the process, so you don't burn out.
High performance, or efficient, durable performance?
Think of a sprinter vs. a marathoner. A sprinter has to put forth his best performance for about 10 to 20 seconds. Within those couple of seconds, he isn't worried about burning out too fast. He needs to start strong and finish strong. He isn't thinking about strategy. His strategy is to run as fast as he can from start to finish.
But a marathon runner also has to perform - with a key distinction - he needs to know to pace himself. He can't just run as fast as he can from the start, as he will burn out soon. He needs to know how to start, the pace to keep, and when to start pushing and giving his all.
Two different high-performers, two different performances.
Your performance might be different, that's why you need to find your optimal performance.
But a marathon runner also has to perform - with a key distinction - he needs to know to pace himself. He can't just run as fast as he can from the start, as he will burn out soon. He needs to know how to start, the pace to keep, and when to start pushing and giving his all.
Two different high-performers, two different performances.
Your performance might be different, that's why you need to find your optimal performance.
What is Optimal Performance™?
When you define your desired performance, next you need to decide on the strategy of performance - or as I call it - Optimal Performance™.
- If you're an athlete, what is your high performance? And what's stopping you from performing at your best?
Is it how you talk to yourself when things aren't working out? Do you lose your cool and start worrying, second guessing yourself - or even worse, start being angry at yourself or your environment about your performance? Does your inner critic get the best of you? Or do you keep your cool, stay present, and focused on your next move? - If you're an entrepreneur, what is your high performance? How does your "best" version look like? Are you focused, determined and just in the flow? How do you respond to (inevitable) setbacks? Do they hit you personally? Do you connect the failure of your business with your personal worth as a human being? When things don't go well, how do you start talking to yourself? Is it positive, optimistic - or do you become paranoid and start to panic? Are you always doing what you should be doing and getting the greatest return on your time (ROT)? Or are you simply spinning your wheels because you're not doing what you really should be doing - because it's either too uncomfortable, or you just don't know what it is that you should do?
- If you're a manager or a CEO, how does managing business affect you? Is it stressful? What's causing it? Are you managing yourself and your time wisely? Are you efficient and effective at your work? Are you getting distracted? At the end of the day, can you say that you've gotten a lot DONE?
- If you're a sales person, do you avoid doing the necessary things that would lead to sales? And an even better question - if yes, WHY? How much time are you spending speaking with prospective clients or customers, versus how much time are you spending simply PRETENDING to do some work? Shuffling paperwork, calling up on existing clients to check up on them, talking to the people at the office... is not work.
Where Does Optimal Performance™ Start?
There are two things you need to perform at your best:
How you think about something is going to affect what you do about that thing. For example, if you value efficiency, and you come into a situation where you have a decision to make about being efficient and being inefficient, you'll choose efficiency. That's pretty simple.
But what if you don't know that efficiency is the right thing to do? Or in the case of an athlete - if you don't understand why consistency is so important? Or how to think when you start losing a match? Or when a prospect says no to your offer? Or when your advertising account gets blocked? What do you DO then will be dependent on how you THINK about that situation.
Optimal performance™ starts with the right THINKING which dictates the right DOING.
- The right THINKING
- The right DOING
How you think about something is going to affect what you do about that thing. For example, if you value efficiency, and you come into a situation where you have a decision to make about being efficient and being inefficient, you'll choose efficiency. That's pretty simple.
But what if you don't know that efficiency is the right thing to do? Or in the case of an athlete - if you don't understand why consistency is so important? Or how to think when you start losing a match? Or when a prospect says no to your offer? Or when your advertising account gets blocked? What do you DO then will be dependent on how you THINK about that situation.
Optimal performance™ starts with the right THINKING which dictates the right DOING.