??How to become a Game Changer - Part 1
I used to be obsessed with management books. I read many, wrote summaries, and even followed their trainings. And there are many useful skills and takeaways on how to build high-performance teams, improving efficiency and effectiveness. How to increase productivity. All important skills but often not enough to really step up your game.
What is really changing the game for leaders, founders and managers are the following 6 focus areas (source: High performing habits by Brendon Burchard). Studies show it. My personal experience shows it. The change I see in many of my clients and colleagues shows it.
If you want to become a game-changer, step up you impact, influence, and meaningful achievement - then follow these 6 steps:
Internal Focus for high performance (today's blog post):
External Focus for high performance (next weeks blog post):
We start today with the areas that come from within, that you can cultivate, create and practice. They will also be the base for the external focus areas of connecting, leading, and influencing others.
1. Seek Next level clarity
The clarity is around who you are, what you want to achieve and who you want to be.
There are many aspects to it, from understanding your past and mental/behavioral patterns that were formed through education and upbringing. Understanding them is crucial to not be driven by them but to be fully and authentically you. That's what will get people to trust and connect with you.
The next step is to intentionally create and envision whom you want to become, how you want to feel and act in the future. This might sound vague but has a real-world impact.
In short, have a clear plan for yourself and what you want to achieve. This does not have to be a 5 or 10-year career plan, but a clear vision with values and boundaries that you want to honor, starting today.
For example, an intention can be applied around stress, focus, and multitasking: Intentionally create how you want to go through your day, how you want to switch between major activities, or how you want to release tension through the day.
Being clear about whom you want to become, how you want to be, and dealing with what comes will enable you to create with intention.
And therefore be in charge of your career and life.
2. Generate energy to get going
One of the biggest drawbacks I hear from my clients is the current lack of energy. Not that they work less, they just don't feel the energy anymore.
There are many things around diet, exercise, sleep, and breathing to work on. They are essential and finding a pattern that works for you and your individual situation is crucial.
But, why? Because your brain literally does not build new neuron connections when it does not have the right nutrition, enough rest, and balance in your life. It will go into stress and preservation mode and hold back on learning and growing.
So any productivity, creativity, innovation, connection with stakeholders or your team always requires your brain to function optimally. give it what it needs and you will feel the benefits.
3. Raise necessity (own your Why)
If you are not all in and aligned with who you are and what you really want it will always hold you back. It will limit what you can achieve because you are steered by other peoples visions and intentions for you, but not your own.
The most successful leaders understand their internal drive and positive obsessions. They also included external urgencies like their own mortality and their duty for something bigger into their own unique 'why'. Whatever it is, make sure it is big and meaningful. And it can be adjusted over time, so don't be scared of it either.
Having clarity on what this means for you will enable you to take bold steps, implement change, connect and communicate on a whole different level.
Next week we will dive into the other 3 aspects, the external focus areas. Let me know what you think in the comments, what you would like to explore further or know more of?