Focus & Finish
April 26, 2017
A young boy was playing football and scored a goal. He turned around, jumped and punched the air and declared “I am the best”. No one believed him. They ridiculed him. Some of the fellow youngsters loathed him. Was he the best? I don’t know. But in his mind, he was. That’s called the theater of mind. Those are the movies he was playing in his mind.
Muhammad Ali mentioned that he used to say that he was the greatest of them all before he became one. Just ego or truth? Look through history and go figure. Was he the greatest because he said it or he became the greatest after believing and declaring it? The latter must be the answer.
So, what if you adopted the same mind-set? What would happen? Do you think you would walk different? Would you act different? Would your thoughts be different? I bet yes. It would be for the better also, isn’t it?
When you start to think in terms of being the best, you start hanging out with the best. Your goals are bigger and greater. You start walking taller and speaking bigger words which lift you up to a higher level. And your actions follow along. And then the results show.
One of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffet said “There will never be a better you than you”. What he meant was that you are unique and your job is to harness that. And that’s a starting point for you to turn out to be the best. Find out what makes you tick and follow it to the letter. Make it count.
That’s you. Others can only be copy cats. That’s why I advise people not to aim to be like somebody but rather be their best selves.
Adopt the identity of “I am the best at doing XXX. I believe I am better than anybody else on this matter”.
There is no need to go around declaring it. Mention it inside your heart regularly. Believe it without any grain of doubt and it will finally sink in.
Then, work at it. It’s not enough to just think and declare that you are the best. It takes time, energy and dedication.
Show me any super star performer and I will show you someone who works hard, focused and dedicated to their craft. There are no shortcuts. Those who think in terms of shortcuts cut their careers short. I suppose you are not the type but rather willing to go the extra mile. Ask yourself what it would take and then commit to do exactly that.
Yes, it takes commitment. It’s a journey you have to be willing to take. Some ups and downs and yet it’s worth it if you stay the course. That’s life. That’s what it takes to be the best. Big cost. Bigger returns. How much are you willing to stake your claim as being the best?
