Last week we talked about how less is more. (You can read that email here if you missed it.)
I want to pick up on that, but talk about it in a different way.
Most people view growth as “more”. But that’s because they mistake growth for breadth. More directions, more goals, more companies . . . more, more, more.
And sure, we need a little breadth. But I’d like you to consider how the elite view growth as depth and not breadth.
Think about it this way. The Olympic Games are now in our rearview. Looking back, one of the most impressive events at the games is the Decathlon, or Heptathlon.
These athletes are rare because they are so good at so many things. But if you look at how their individual performances compare to the best in the world at each specific event, well, none of the Decathletes would win a heat . . . let alone a final.
Now, I am not disparaging the multi-event athlete. I’m sure if they focused on one event they’d excel, but . . .
- Because they have to divide their training and attention,
- Because their performance plan has to account for 10 separate goals,
They slip into mediocrity compared to the masters of the individual event.
I’ll say it another way: if one of these multi-event athletes wanted to be the best in the world at one event, they’d have to give up all the others.
It’s the other 9 or 6 other events that hold them back. And the problem is, they’re really good at those events.
[This is true in the real world too. You’re good at a bunch of things, and perhaps even tie those to your identity. But because you have 5 or 7 different goals, your attention is divided, your effort is unfocused, and you, too, stay in the middle of the pack].
Now, we can certainly celebrate the decathletes or heptathletes as the best “overall” athletes, and appreciate their accomplishments.
And we can recognize the event specific excellence in the 110m hurdles or the long jump.
But we can also see that if we want to excel in our field of play we have to let go of being “goal decathletes”. Which means not just losing our grip on things we don’t like or care about, but letting go of some things that we love and are good at.
When we do, we take a real step toward the podium because that is a move towards gold.
90 Day Year is the path to the podium. It’s not for you if you’re still trying to hold onto 7 different goals. It is for you if you’re ready to “let go and let gold” take you forward.
Now, here’s one more thing to think about, as letting go can feel like loss.
Once you let go you grow.
And, it’s also likely that if you let go of those 6 or 9 events (those extra goals) what you’ll find is that your mastery–that depth–begins to expand.
Just like swimmers who take the same core skill and do it over varying distances, or with a slightly different stroke, can medal in multiple events.
Once you gain your “1 Goal, 1 Gold Mastery”, your opportunity to medal in more expands too.
But letting go comes first. It’s the cost of entry.
[A cost you’re already paying by the way, just spread out over all those other “good” goals. This is what it means when they say “good” is the enemy of “great”].
Good keeps you off the podium. But it doesn’t have to. I want to help you medal if you’ll let me. It’s what I’ve spent my life doing for athletes and entrepreneurs alike. It’s your turn.
Your podium might be 90 days away if you start now.
1 Goal, 1 Gold.
Be Bold. Take Action. Leave A Mark.
Todd Herman
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