Many years ago, someone told me that the key to success
is not doing something big or spectacular, but doing the
little things extraordinarily well.
When we think of Olympic athletes, it's tempting to pretend
that they are somehow "different". We tell ourselves they
were born with incredible strength or unusual talent, or had
training that we could never get for ourselves. We look
at Michael Jordon in sports, or we compare ourselves to
Barbra Streisand as an entertainer, and say, "I could
never do that."
While there is truth in acknowledging their incredible
talent, there is also a lie in pretending that because we
don't have their genetic gifts, we are somehow excused
from the necessity of doing our best. That is simply not true!
The vast majority of highly successful people, in any area
of life, are simply those who worked a bit harder, stayed a
bit longer, and did a bit more.
The highest paid people in any industry earn many times more
than the average income. Is that because they are 100 times
smarter? Are they 50 times more ambitious? Do they work
20 times harder or do they have more hours in a day?
Of course not!
The highest paid, most successful people do the little things
extremely well. They remember the details, acknowledge their
friends, and they keep their promises. They return phone
calls on time. They remember to say "Please" and "Thank
You!", and they smile. They get to work just a bit earlier,
make one or two more calls or stay just a bit later at the
end of the day. The simple truth is this: They go the extra
mile, and it makes a difference.
They take care of the "little things", and the difference is
reflected in their paychecks!
What opportunities do you have to improve your performance
by just 1 percent this week? It's call the "1 Percent Solution",
and over time, it makes all the difference!
About the Author
Philip E. Humbert, PhD.
Email: Coach@philiphumbert.com
Website: http://www.philiphumbert.com