Battling complacency is one of the toughest things for any highly functioning, self-motivated person. You go through periods where you have ups and downs, wins and losses – sometimes more of one than the other. But even at a point where you find yourself winning over and over again, you always have to be looking at how to up your game. Up your mental game, physical game, the game of how you live your life. Be better every day.
Years ago, a really smart guy told me that if you come into work every day focused on being better than you were the day before, you would have a great career. I received that advice about 15 years ago. I teach it to many people. Yet, even I sometimes find myself guilty of forgetting that every day you have to be better than you were the day before. Every day requires more of everything you’ve got to give. Not just your ability, salesmanship, personality, or general care for people. But how you think, work, and operate. They will all drive you to up your game.
Upping your game is not something you can read a book about or that a friend can tell you over a cold beer one afternoon. Upping your game is a constant mental challenge you must put on yourself to go after increased intensity, better results, and being one step better at all times – even when you’re at the absolute top. That is what upping your game is really about.
It’s not always easy, and it never will be. This year, I took a focus to up my game in all aspects of my life. I wanted to up my physical game, so I began working out not just a couple of days a week, but in some way every way a week. I wanted to up my game and grow my business. So, we didn’t just grow a little, we’ve grown a lot. And I wanted to up my game with time spent around my family. As a result, I’ve traveled less this year than I ever have, excluding the pandemic.
That is how you truly set your sights on upping your game and live it every single day. Always push yourself to be better than you were the day before.