Getting better at something doesn’t mean much when you are talking about something that really doesn’t matter to you.
Better doesn’t matter when you are talking about something you never intend to finish anyway.
Better doesn’t matter in the real world, when you are striving or are using a yard stick against someone else’s progress.
Getting better is a personal pursuit based on demonstration of your own self-defined success.
- It’s setting and keeping your own standards vs. keeping up with the Jones’
- It’s being effective enough to complete – and then look for ways to improve things (getting things done – then better)
- It’s continually improving how you work en route to getting things done
- It’s caring about being better in every way you are and everything you do
- It’s being willing to practice to become masterful vs. just competent
- It’s going for personal fulfillment vs. just settling
When you undertake a path of “betterism” you say – “I am going to pay attention; I am going to make something really, really matter; I am going to pay attention to these specific things that really matter to me.”
So better doesn’t matter when you don’t care – but when you do, it’s everything.
Here are a few tips on how to get better at something that really matters to you personally:
Make it Sacred. When you see something as sacred – it raises your level of attention towards it. You focus on it. You are mindful of it. When you see your path towards being better as sacred – you walk with a purpose – and you are able to tell – right through your personal energy – if anything changes and you leave the path. What’s the Result? You get back on the path much faster.
See it as So. When you can hold a vision of what success looks like, sounds like, tastes like and feels like even before it is immediately before you, you can actually count the steps – to the realism of your vision.
Dreaming things as already done – helps you to feel the personal fulfillment now – and gives you the inspiration you need to pull you forward.
You see your future as a matter of practice. You are also going to be able to see every resource you will need on your path to getting things done. Every step you take – the more clarity you will make.
Even if you fail, failure is progress because you can effectively learn from failing – and make things better.
Simply Simplify. When you keep things to their simplest version, you expand your ability to hold focus on it.
When you keep things in manageable bite-size pieces – you can chew things more easily. Being overwhelmed isn’t a problem when you always have your next step right there in front of you.
What usually causes the problem is the illusion there is too much. Narrowing your focus to what is most meaningful now – helps you limit things so you can focus on important things and getting them better.
So, if you have already decided to make something better, yourself better, or the world better because it is meaningful for you – The world is ready for you and more than that it really needs you.
If you don’t care, don’t want more, and are satisfied the way things are that’s ok. You just haven’t heard the call yet. Please just support others who are ready to get things better.
Oh the want and will to recognise you have an onus to change isn’t something most people have within them, Anne.
I’ve dealt with many ‘Managers’ who didn’t even want to be a manager – placed in the position because they were good at their job which is so so wrong.
And most people are simply content with just cruising along the way they are now – because they need a shake up moment. Typical for most of us that change happens when it has to. I suppose that’s the difference with people who persue personal development – they want something better for themselves, their families, their relationships and their careers.
You need an article on why you need to think about changing and not being content with yourself 🙂
That’s a super idea Martin. Thank you.
And thanks for your comment too
I agree with you, some folks are quite happy being ‘content’. That’s OK. It’s quite comfortable there.
I can also take the perspective that it’s widespread habit.
I believe the challenge comes in – when someone has the desire for more of something they want (less of something they don’t want) and they resist that desire. I think it’s easy to make something ‘not matter’ and just slip into apathy about it.
If someone wants to lead themselves better, self-responsibility and commitment are cornerstone. Including responsibility for follow thru on their precious dreams, desires, values etc.
If I use your example of the ‘top producer’ made manager; a few of things come to mind:
Was the employee following their own values guidance? Probably no.
Then their self-expression may have been limited in some way. It may in some way had more to do with what they would have had to feel – had they not agreed to the placement.
Some top performers CAN make the transition to manager. They do this my establishing a learning path for themselves around the skill-set. Yet, in the case where folks know they are better served leading themselves than others – I will always vote for job that allows them to live in alignment with their personal values.
This will really help people to develop more in their leadership skills.