Only a very small percentage of people are
considered the best at what they do. And among this group, the outliers aren’t satisfied with being the best. They strive to distance themselves from their competition.
So what is the secret sauce? Attitude? Talent? Luck? None of those are adequate. In my years of studying athletes, coaches and broadcasters who are not satisfied with being at the top of their fields, there’s one characteristic that sets them apart.
They are relentless.
They own the ability and mindset to never stop trying and pushing toward a goal that only they can see. No one else has ever done it before. They are incredibly inspiring, and for me as a corporate keynote speaker, it’s such an incredible honor to learn from them and share that message with others who can benefit.
Here are four important pointers about being relentless.
- The two-minute memory rule: Celebrate your accomplishments for two minutes and reflect on your failures for two minutes, and no more. If you focus too much on your success, you become complacent. If you dwell too much on your failure, you become fearful and lose confidence. This way you stay nimble and dynamic; you’re in the moment. Compartmentalizing is essential for bringing all your attention to the task at hand: moving even further ahead of your nearest competitor. This Foot Locker ad riffs on the theme that “all the greats have short memories.” Funny ad—and true.
- Your best measuring stick is invisible: Elite performers recognize that the most meaningful level of competition is personal. It’s inside them; it’s them against themselves. They define the standard of excellence rather than letting the competition set the bar; they rate themselves against their own potential. Their driving question: What have I done today to get better than I was yesterday? Warren Buffett is an example of thinking this way.
- Minimize your gaps: NBA superstar Kevin Durant was one of the best players in the world when he hired his own analytics guru. This trainer identified inefficiencies in Durant’s game and tailored workouts to address them. The best get better the same way in business—embrace constructive feedback, identify your biggest gaps, and come up with a game plan to minimize them.
- Fearlessly reinvent yourself: Pushing to a new level of achievement creates a new set of challenges, and you have to be ready to constantly reposition yourself. This means suffocating fear and cultivating an insatiable appetite for learning.
Your Game Changer Takeaway
As a corporate keynote speaker, I not only speak about these four aspects of being relentless, but I use them in my work. I want to break new ground in my profession and go beyond best to discover my ultimate potential. To do that, I know I must be relentless. If you strive to be a pioneering achiever in your field, you need to be relentless too. Keep these four points in mind and go for it!
Molly Fletcher helps inspire and equip game changers to dream, live and grow fearlessly. A keynote speaker and author, Molly draws on her decades of experiences working with elite athletes and coaches as a sports agent, and applies them to the business world. Sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter.
