high achievement

All posts tagged high achievement

Fear Your Plan, Not Your Goals

Posted by John R. Stoiber on August 22, 2015
Posted in: Achievement, Failure Lessons, Fear of Failure, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Blog Photo - Fear Your Plan

All too often I have seen people in situations where they walk away from a goal at the first sign of adversity or challenge.  The goal may have been a big one that was considered by others as lofty or far from reach.  For example, a goal of becoming the best golfer in the world, or a goal of becoming a billionaire.  However, the goal could also have been something that many others have already achieved, such as running a marathon, earning a six-figure salary, or learning a second language.

But why do so many people give up on their goals even when they are within reach?

In most cases, I would argue, it is because of fear. The fear of failure. Some people are just hoping for an excuse to quit.  Others let setbacks or challenges increase their fear to the point where the pain of potential failure outweighs the pain (the hard work) of achieving the goal in the first place.  This is a common tale.  Too common, and unfortunate.

But what exactly are these people afraid of?   Is it the goal itself that scares them?  Is it what other people will say (the naysayers) if they do not achieve it?   The fact is most goals people set are achievable, but yet so many give up.

The problem in my view is not the goals.  Most people do not set “scary” goals.   Instead the focus should be shifted to the PLAN to get there.  If your plan scares you, so will your goal.   But great planning is the antidote of fear.  If you are afraid of failing to achieve any goal you have set, you do not have the right plan.

So how do you put together the right plan?

Find others who have achieved the same thing and use their experience to build or enhance your plan.  Think through what might happen along the way, and be prepared in advance to react when you reach a roadblock.  Find mentors, coaches or others who can increase your focus on the plan you already have in place.   Then work your plan.  Refine it.  Work it again.  The chances of achieving your goals with little fear of failing will increase dramatically.

Live Up to Commitments

Posted by John R. Stoiber on June 29, 2014
Posted in: Achievement, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Live Up to Commitments

Have you ever known someone who starts a lot of things and never seems to finish anything?  Perhaps he or she joins a sports team, or decides to take music lessons, or commits to helping a friend with a project. Does the person quit before the season is over, stop taking lessons before the lesson schedule ends, or not show up to help out a friend?

In each of these cases, a personal commitment is being made.  It’s not forever, but there is a reasonable time implied by the commitment.  In the first two cases it is a period of time.  In the case of the project the commitment is to see it through to completion.  Think about what happens if you did not live up to these commitments. Some may think, what’s the big deal if you decide to quit after making a commitment?  What if you just do not like it.  Shouldn’t you have the right to walk away?   Think about the answer to this question.  How you answer it could define you for the rest of your life, and could set the tone for all personal achievement (or failure) to follow.

It’s easy to be a good starter, but it’s a lot harder to be a solid finisher.  It’s easy to quit.  It’s harder to remain committed regardless of the outcome. Ever know someone who was losing a game and just quit trying?  It happens all the time.

However, to be high achievers we MUST honor our commitments.  No excuses.  We must do our very best to the end.

Those who get in the habit of making commitments only to break those commitments later will not only become quitters for life, but they will find that most people will not trust them to deliver anything they say they will.  It would be better to not make a commitment at all if you knew you could not deliver.

Living up to commitments teaches us many skills we need to be high achievers.  Things like being a great teammate, building trust, demonstrating good sportsmanship, being a person others can count on, setting a solid example around work ethic, being respectful of others, handling adversity, managing your time effectively, learning how to be resilient, and much more.

Next time you make a commitment, follow through.  Finish what you start – every time.  You’ll be glad you did.

Fly With the Eagles

Posted by John R. Stoiber on April 5, 2014
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Stoiber - Eagle Flying

To reach a high level of achievement there are a lot of things you need to focus on as it relates to your own attitude, your ability to harness fear, your persistence to not give up, and your capacity for bouncing back from failure. However, there is one often overlooked characteristic of high achievers, and that is the people who you hang around and invite as your friends.

This one factor can make or break the achievement of your goals.

Perhaps you are someone who desires to grow your career or make a lot of money. Maybe you hope to be famous or become the absolute best in a particular field. Suppose you want to make a significant difference through helping others. Nothing can hold you back more than the attitudes and behaviors of those around you.

Over the years I have learned that if you really want something, find others who share your beliefs, attitudes and interests and keep them close.  Find the eagles in your interest area and fly with them.  Don’t scratch with the chickens.

Get rid of the naysayers in your life.  Find friends who are successful or share your views on success.

Those with poor attitudes who never aspire to improve their own situations will certainly not fill your mind with the type of support and encouragement that will help you achieve your own goals.  In fact, their behavior and attitudes will rub off on you. They will destroy your mind, and kill your energy.

We have all likely heard the phrase “you are who your friends are.”  Believe it.  You’ll be amazed at how much you can accelerate your own success by surrounding yourself with the right people.

Avoiding the “Mediocrity Trap”

Posted by John R. Stoiber on March 16, 2014
Posted in: Achievement, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Stoiber - Mediocrity Trap

A majority of people in life will never achieve what they are fully capable of achieving.  That is unfortunate.  Achievement is not about being smart, knowing a lot of people, getting that big break, or being the right place at the right time.  Sure those things can help, but most high achievement comes from plain old hard work and a persistence to work through challenges along the way.

There are rarely short cuts to achieving great things, but if you spend your time on the right things (i.e. behaving like high achievers), the probability of reaching your goals is much higher.
But, there is also an achievement-killing force out there that even potential high achievers may not recognize, and that is what I call the “mediocrity trap.”  This trap is subtle, and to know you are falling into the trap requires significant self-awareness of its reality and power, and your own willingness to change your behavior to avoid it.

To avoid the mediocrity trap, you must train yourself to consciously steer clear of the behaviors of low achievers.  For example, when you come home from work or school do you immediately sit down in front of the TV and burn away your evenings watching sitcoms or reality shows?  Do you spend hours playing video games?   Do you hang around with low-achieving friends who constantly complain about how the world has dealt them a bad hand?   Most low achievers will have many justifications for spending their time this way.

Instead, think proactively about what you want to achieve, and how you might invest your time differently to fuel your engine of achievement.

Rather than turning on the TV after a long day, read a book or other content in your field to re-energize yourself for the next day.  Consider your network of friends and spend time with those that also are high achievers. It’s exciting to see how associating with the right people can shift your achievement progress into high gear.  Block time on your calendar focused specifically on your own personal development.  Invest in your own learning.  Exercise, as taking care of your physical well-being is as important as your mental well-being.

Do one thing every day that contributes to your achievement goals.  If you take control of your own behaviors and avoid the mediocrity trap, you will be amazed by what you can achieve.