How do you continually keep giving more effort?
Beat yesterday. It’s been a phrase we’ve used frequently this year with Compete Every Day. The idea of doing more than we did yesterday is a key component on the road to success. It’s a simple phrase but a challenge we can all take on each morning.
Some days are harder than others. We don’t know how we can match the prior’s energy level or output, and struggle to even catch our breath. Life knocks us down. That’s inevitable. Some days we do not win. However, the idea of being better than yesterday continues on – if we choose to keep competing.
The days we are knocked down are easy to rebound from – if we choose to get back up and keep going. The days we struggle to get by can be overcome the following – if we consciously decide that the new day is a new day, leaving the old behind us.
Intentionally focusing on giving a better effort each and every day is something most people don’t take the time to do or don’t care to. They are “ok” with things as they are, floating through life, day after day. But not you.
Like you, I desire something more from my life. I realize I only get one shot at today – and I better make it count. So I am intentional in my plan, my words, and my actions – doing everything in my power to give a better effort in my work, my relationships, & my life pursuits. You and I both share that mindset – and that’s why we are competitors.
But what if you’re struggling to take steps toward daily improvement? Each week I implement specific steps to make sure I am progressing toward my goals. I create a plan to “beat yesterday.”
1. Write It Down
If you don’t track your days, how do you know how far you’ve come? Each night, I have a journal I write down three victories & three lessons (not failures!) from the day behind me. They may be professional victories, personal lessons, health-related, or a combination of all things. The key is writing them down. If I write it down, I acknowledge the victory (celebrate it) and am keenly aware of the lesson (so I can avoid tomorrow). That way, one of the last things I see each night is a review of today – so I can better attack tomorrow.
2. Plan Your Day – Don’t Let Your Day Plan You
Where does all the time go? I know the feeling – some days just seem to get away from me. But I can distinctly remember that those are the days I didn’t map out my entire day. Problems arise and many times, we have to change plans in order to compensate, but most days? Most days we lose track of time and fail to accomplish what we set out to because we lacked the prior planning to account for our entire day. I’ve started using the planner from BestSelf.co to stay ontop of each and every hour so I can maximize productivity better than I did the previous day.
3. Identify Areas of Weakness
Where you are falling short? In your nightly journal have you noticed a theme trending in the “lessons learned” section? Start becoming focused on certain areas where you struggle so that you become more self-aware of them – and as they arise tomorrow, you can mentally make a note of the situation and adjust your response from the day before.
4. Make time for yourself
No one “has” time – you make it. Including the most important time for yourself. I try to carve out at least 30 minutes every day to read or listen to a podcast related to personal development, business goals, or relationship-building. Some days I miss this mark (and yes, I write that down so I don’t tomorrow!), but am hyper focused on trying to invest time for me, away from a computer screen, so that I can improve how I conduct my business, my relationships, and my pursuits. Without the 30 minutes of learning, how do I ever expect to grow?
Being better than yesterday is an ongoing action. It takes dedication and self-awareness – both traits that you do not need born-talent to have. They can be forged by applying them day after day. By competing every day, right?
This will be your week – Compete for it.
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