Leadership Thought #340 – Are You Getting Better?
In business (and life), you are either growing and getting better or going in the opposite direction. Just like your muscles, your brain and natural abilities will atrophy if they don’t get exercise. You can’t stand still and expect progress. I’ve observed many individuals who gave up too soon. A little more effort and commitment could have made a significant difference. Furthermore, it’s sad when a leader stays on too long and becomes more interested in ego, power, and position than in effectively navigating change and facilitating progress.
Past success doesn’t guarantee future success or that it will carry over to other pursuits. You must keep outworking, outthinking, and outmaneuvering your competition. You cannot become self-satisfied or rest on your laurels. You must continually work to get better. Business history is littered with people who failed to reach their true potential and/or only peaked for short periods.
The best leaders I know love to learn and grow personally and professionally. They are easily bored by the status quo and are constantly envisioning a more effective and productive future. They diversify and broaden their interests instead of slowing down as they advance. They see time as a gift to be used well, not wasted. It’s less about what has happened and more about what will be. Getting better isn’t optional for them; it’s just hardwired into who they are. They understand you only grow when you push yourself; otherwise, you plateau and atrophy.
Related articles
- Pushing the Envelope (starlitfitness.com)
- The Top 10 Lessons From The Late Great Albert Einstein! (beinspiredlive.wordpress.com)
- Philosophers Notes: 20-Minute Summaries of 100 Personal Growth Books (natalializon.wordpress.com)
- The Emotional Journey to Inner Peace (walkintwoworlds.wordpress.com)
