I just finished Grant Cardone’s book Be Obsessed or Be Average. The title of this Pep Talk comes from a simple phrase he randomly threw out. “Make You Your Competition” means worry about what you are doing each day and forget about the noise around you.
Be obsessed with getting better.
This book gave me another look at how an extremely successful and wealthy entrepreneur looks at how to achieve what you want. So, I’m going to present and editorialize some of Cardone’s most valuable elements.
Today I want to ask you:
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your 2019 up and until today? Are you better off than you were this time last year?
If so, you’re probably an 8, 9, or 10, depending on your level of growth.
If you took a step back in 2019, you're a 6 or below depending on the type of year you had.
My suggestion for this rating system is that you shouldn’t rate yourself on where you thought you wanted to be, but on where you are compared to this time last year. Did you take a step forward or a step back? Have you thought about it? Thinking is always a good Step #1.
I say this because many people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate the power of consistent progress over the long term… 3, 5, and 10 years. People avoid goal setting because they subconsciously don’t want to commit to the effort.
Do you feel like you put in consistent effort in 2019 or did you have wide gaps between frenetic (maybe even desperate) bursts of activity? If so, why?
Here’s the hard truth:
The state that you are in right now is 100% your responsibility.
If you are buzzing and things are great, congratulations! You manifested success, and - if I was to guess - you are prouder of all the little victories along the way that got you here. If you are on the other end of the spectrum and feeling sluggish and defeated, you are losing the battle between the ears.
Back in 2008, when it became really apparent to me that I was in for a long battle to get back on track, I made one simple promise to myself:
I told myself “Jim, just worry about getting better every day.” That was my mantra and challenge to myself.
“What would happen if I just got 1% better every day?”
Here’s the math on what would happen if you committed to getting just 1% better every day for one full year: you would be 37.78 times better at the end of the year. That’s massive improvement! The online shoe company Zappos challenges their employees to do just that. Just be 1% better every day. Just be better today than you were yesterday. I believe in it so much that I end my daily affirmation with “every day in every way, I’m getting better and better.”
So how do you get just 1% better every day?
- Have a plan for your day, each day.
- Mediate, visualize or just take some time to think. Fifteen minutes a day is all you need.
- Read every day even if it is just a chapter a day.
- Make 1 prospecting call.
- Follow up with just 1 client.
- Spend 15 minutes evaluating your business at the end of the day.
- Eat well, get enough sleep, and get your body moving.
All of these things can be done in an hour a day or less. Most importantly, these actions create an environment of self-improvement.
Back when I made that commitment to myself, I didn’t realize what impact it would have on me over the past decade. It was the singular reason I doubled my business 4 times in 5 years and why I’m now in a position to be able to teach what I have learned… the basics of The Compound Effect. If you haven’t read it lately, reread The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. It’s the one absolutely non-negotiable book that I recommend.
I’ve shared some of the simple actions you can do each day to positively move the needle. There are a bunch of things that you can do that don’t help you get 1% better each day. You know what they are, so I’ll spare you the list. Just remember, feeling busy and being effective aren’t the same thing, so invest your time in activity that drives you forward.
So, on second thought…
Maybe it's as simple as us overestimating what we can do in a day and underestimating what we can do in a year. Maybe it is just that simple drumbeat of action every single day? The answer is unequivocally “YES!”
If you expect a different result in 2020 by doing exactly what you did in 2019… that would be Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity. Grant Cardone would say that you need to get obsessed and take advantage of every day.
If you are not winning, the problem is you. Make You Your Competition.
