If you are reading this then there is a good chance you’re obsessed with high performance. Perhaps you’ve done all the Tony Robbins trainings and read all the books but your appetite is insatiable.
Well I’ve got some good news … in my experience it can be some of the simplest ideas that yield the biggest results. And to expand on that and borrow a concept from Tony, high performance comes largely from how you feel in the moment. Yes skills matter. Of course they do. However I’ve seen massive results generated once I get someone in the right state.
So without having to rely on an outside force to get you in that right state, what are some shortcuts? Well I think one of the fastest ways to get in a powerful state is to elevate your self-esteem. When we feel good about ourselves we feel good in general. So here they are, some quick tips for boosting self-esteem:
- Make your bed – you read it right. I know what you’re thinking … “how the heck is that going to improve my state”. Well don’t take my word for it (although I know first-hand it works) – read what Jennifer Wasylenko wrote about it on Lifehack.org
- Exercise first thing in the morning – just like making your bed, when you exercise not only to you get the obvious health benefits but you feel like King Kong because you’ve done something very few people do before most people are up and at it. This immediately leaves you with a positive state of mind
- Join the 5am club. Robin Sharma has written and recorded lots on this. Google “Robin Sharma 5am Club” Just like point #2, being up at 5 while the rest of the word is sleeping gives you a psychological advantage in knowing you have a head start. Heck just carrying through with getting up feels like a massive achievement.
- Verbally express either your gratitude or a sincere compliment to someone in your life. The law of reciprocity kicks into high gear when you do this and not in terms of the act being returned to you but in how you feel after you do it. If this is new to you, it may feel a bit weird, but you’ll get over that once you experience the payoff.
- Reflect on past successes and highlights. This one works particularly well when you are feeling a bit low. Reflecting on past successes helps to reset your mind and serves as a reminder that life is roller coaster. Being low just means that your next event will be a way up.
- Keep some simple promises you make to yourself. Which is the opposite of what most people do during the month of January as they chip away their self-esteem by not carrying through with the New Year’s resolutions. Make it easy and keep the time frame short. I.e. getting up when you say you are going to get up. Sticking to your chosen diet for the day. Clearing your inbox within a certain time period. The more you keep these small promises, the easier they will be to keep. And as time progresses, your promises to yourself become golden. They are your integrity.
- Know what you want from the day. Be clear on your top 3 priorities and be realistic about getting them done. Overachieving and failing consistently leads to a downward spiral. Keep it winnable and be sure your priorities are real priorities that will generate results.