When I work with clients, I find that you control your goals, the strategy to reach those goals and the quality of your inputs…
and I used to think (I WAS WRONG) the quality of our inputs was purely about TRYING HARDER, like if you just pushed yourself more, you’d automatically see better results
That can be true, esp when training: physically pushing harder builds endurance and strength.
But when it comes to mental work: where you’re staring at a screen or solving complex problems ‘trying harder’ doesn’t always translate the same way.
You can’t just force mental breakthroughs by working longer hours. (This leads to burnout)
As I was training for my ironman this weekend, this made me question what’s behind exceptional performance?
Sometimes my best work is when Im not even trying, when Im in flow, enjoying the process. Almost at play. When I turn whats hard, into fun (or something I enjoy)
DOES NOT mean everything is easy or enjoyable… but in those moments, even the hard things can be enjoyable.
I think it has to boil down to a sense of loving some aspect of what you’re doing + a healthy obsession
Loving some aspect of what you do:
For instance, I don’t exactly look forward to swimming at 5:30am, but there’s a quiet satisfaction afterward, a sense of accomplishment that keeps me going. Same thing at work when you solve an incredibly challenging problem or work deadline.
Without this factor you won’t have a healthy obsession
Healthy obsessions are essential, since they becomes part of who you are.
Let’s face it, you already have obsessions but they may not all be healthy (checking email, notifications, cheap dopamine, sugar etc)
By deliberately choosing your healthy obsession, you can find a sense of enjoyment to solve difficult challenges, work doesn’t become “work”, and you get to think about how to improve even “off hours”.
And you’re not doing this for anyone else, you’re doing this for you, because this is who you are.
So with the right goal, the right strategies and people alongside with you AND a healthy obsession focusing on your inputs will increase your chances for success.