Of course, this has nothing to do with a nighttime sleep-disorder. However, it does have everything to do with mental daytime vacancy. The number of people who mindlessly navigate through life is staggering — especially at work. The imaginary switch on their back is permanently lodged in the off position. Not surprisingly this stifles productivity, creativity, motivation, passion, happiness, and the list goes on.
Repeating behaviors, routines, assumptions, and processes is attractive because, well, it’s easy. But pressing the “repeat” each day is short-sighted. Eventually, our results taper off to a plateau (or decline), we overlook opportunities that can improve our life, and our creative muscles dystrophy.
We all know what a brain looks like. It’s an odd, wrinkly, lumpy collection of greyish-pink matter. For most people, this organ best serves as an auto-pilot device, helping them perform every-day functions.
To a Maverick, however, the brain is much more than that.
No matter the circumstances, no matter the goal, the most important element in the equation of success is… you guessed it, YOU! This is not to say that the the greatest accomplishments are achieved single-handedly. Nor I am suggesting that the journey to success must be walked alone. In fact, I don’t believe either is an accurate description of success. Ever. …
Some people tell me they doubt that they have the drive to work towards extraordinary results. I think this can be addressed by re-framing the issue.
Instead of getting hung up on being ‘successful’ (which often involves a new self-concept that intimates many), we can also develop an intolerance for a half effort, for cutting corners, and for average results.
There are two ways I view this maxim:
Being grateful for what we have
Working towards creating more options in life
To point #1: If you’re reading this, you’re wealthy.
Many people on earth (not including you…
Unless you live in an ivory tower, some chaos in life is inevitable. In a passing storm of chaos it is entirely possible to use the additional pressure to inspire resourcefulness and urgent action. In fact, the greatest leaders thrive under such circumstances. BUT no matter who you are, it’s impossible to live in chaos.
When elephants are being trained to stay in one place at a very young age the trainers drive a stake deep in the ground and use a rope or chain that the elephant cannot break. After a few failed attempts to break free in the elephant’s youth, the elephant stops trying and never tests the rope again.
We’re taught to compare ourselves to other people to gauge where we are and how we’re doing. It’s horrible advice. Simply because no two people are alike, we will always lose the game of comparison. Like the old saying goes, it’s apples to oranges…
Without being somewhat grounded in reality, we become delusional. But when we become too focused on reality, we begin to forget the power we have to change it…
We all know that change is constant. It can feel like an an ongoing spin where we’re fighting a centrifugal force that want’s to catapult us outward to an unknown destination.
But even amid an environment of constant change, some people thrive — and they do it with style. Instead of fighting the change, they embrace it. They acknowledge the gyration, and seek the center point with the understanding that motion increases balance.
One of the main reasons people don’t ask is that they are afraid of being rejected. The truth is, when we ask other people for anything, some are going to say yes, and some are going to say no. And a Maverick says, “So what!”