Becoming one of the best in your field is not easy. It takes dedication, determination, and the know-how acquired by only a select group of people. But maintaining this success and growing into a better version of you can often times be an even greater challenge. Many people reach the top of the mountain once, but to do it again and again takes a special type of person. To be the best, you have to navigate the torrential terrain and reach the summit day in and day out.
Being the best is one thing, but preserving and sustaining your reputation as one of the go-getters and game-changers can be an even greater challenge. But the success stories that have occurred over and over again are not coincidence. These people have a formula and have mapped out a path to reach the top of the mountain each time they begin their ascent.
So this begs the question: How do the best get better?
They are Students, Not Teachers. The best are willing to be vulnerable. They carry themselves with a confidence and energy that is engaging and relatable, but they also know there is much work to be done. The best get better through always looking for the opportunity to learn. Whether it is through a mistake, a success, or another person, they simply never stop striving to learn. So many successful businessmen and women are content teaching others, and speaking about their triumphs. But the terrain is treacherous and the competition is always looking for a leg up. That being said, if you are not learning and increasing your aptitude, times will change and you will be left in the dust. In life, the opportunity to learn is available around each and every corner. But you have to turn those corners and seek out these prospects. The best do just that. To get better, they understand they do not know everything, but also have an inner drive and fire that pushes them to constantly learn more.
They are Doers, Not Sleepers. I always say the best never sleep. Not literally. By that I mean they do not rest on their laurels. What they have accomplished is on their resume, but does not define their destination. The best get better because they want more, do more, and inevitably get more. It is so easy to be a sleeper, feeling like you have done enough and the rest will take care of itself. But the best are doers, not sleepers. They are always looking for the next opportunity or the next great idea. Think of people like Arthur Blank, Mark Cuban, and Steve Jobs. These are the trailblazers of our time. They are constantly reinventing, reassessing, and reorganizing their businesses. The second you think they have no more tricks up their sleeves, they wow you with a success of enormous proportions. The best are always doing, and never rest on what they have done.
They are Encircled, Not an Island. The best do not run alone. They get better by surrounding themselves with the best…the best mentors, the best employees, the best strategists, and the best team. The best businessmen and women do this very well. They get better through the people around them. They are not islands and do not stand solo, keeping distance from others and rarely working with a strong and dedicated team. The best understand that to get better, you have to turn to the experts. The smartest thing you can do is surround yourself with people that are smarter than you in various areas, people who compliment your skill set and enhance what you can deliver.
These are just three of the numerous tools the best constantly implement into their lives to become better. They constantly reinvent and reshape their lives and diligently work to build and rebuild. They are students of the game, they are doers, and their circles are large and include dedicated and intelligent mentors, employees, and trusted advisors. Maintaining greatness is just as difficult, if not more, than reaching greatness. But the best work hard day in and day out to ensure they can summit the mountain and handle the torrential terrain.
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