If asked just about anyone if they wanted to get to their next level of success or potential, they would tell me "Yes!"  So, if that is the case, why do so few actually level up in their lives?

The reasons are many, but it usually comes down to a few main ones.  Here they are:

• People don't level up because they don't know what they want.  They don't know what the next level looks like.
• They are overcome by the work or "all the things" they would need to do to reach their next level and simply never act because it is too overwhelming and uncomfortable.
• They are scared of the commitment to reach the level and then what they have to do to stay there.

I think everyone has faced these issues in the pursuit of personal growth.  But, how do you overcome them?  Better yet, how can you make it easy to overcome them?  I've found a few simple ways to do this.

First, you do need to be clear on what your next level looks like so you need to take some time to think it through.  Spend 30-60 minutes with a notepad and write out what the next level looks like for you.  Challenge yourself.  Ask yourself "why?"  Ask yourself if you are holding anything back.  The important thing is that at the end of this time, you should have a much clearer picture of the what your next level looks like and things you need to do to get there.  This will get you focused.

Second, remember the 80/20 rule.  In this case, 20% of the things you need to do to reach your next level are much more important than the rest, the 80%.  Focus on just actioning on those items.  Once you have done them, then move on to others.  This will keep you from being overwhelmed.

Third, automate your success.  In every way possible, you should strive to remove roadblocks or obstacles that you percieve will hurt your chances of leveling up.  For example, if you know that you need to get up earlier and eat a healthy breakfast to get you on the right path to reach your goal, you can automate this by scheduling breakfast to be delivered to you at your home or office at 7am.  By doing this, you give yourself a deadline to get up by and get going and take the hassle of preparing a healthy breakfast off your plate.  Another example would be freeing up time in your day to focus on the tasks needed to reach your goal.  You can do this by blocking off time on your calendar so no one can take that time and setting a reminder alarm to focus on your important task. 

As you start to think about it, there are a lot of ways to automate and remove the lower priority items or busy tasks in your life, so you can focus on the most important.  You know what your time is worth, so make sure you are maximizing your time for your value.  Getting clear on what you want, focusing on the most important things to get you there, and automating and outsourcing where possible makes it much easier for you to level up and reach your true potential.

Entrepreneurship is an amazing, wonderful, awesome thing.  We have so much opportunity, possibility and capability at our fingertips.  

In fact, we have so much opportunity  and possibility that many times, we fall into the biggest trap or hardest thing about entrepreneurship.  The hardest thing about entrepreneurship is being able to see the true opprtunity through all the ones in front of us and focus on it.  

As entrepreneurs, many times we take on so much that we aren't as successful as we could be if we just took the time to think deeply about the best opportunity for us and our goals and then devote ourselves to it - saying "no" to the others.  Saying no is hard because as entrepreneurs, we are wired to see the opportunity and attempt to capitalize on it, but sometimes we don't stop to think if we really should do so.

Thee challenge has always reminded me of the movie Jurassic Park where the founder is so proud and  excited to show off the incredible things they have created and is so caught up in "the magic of it all."  They fail to think about all of the ramifications of what they are doing.  Jeff Goldblum's character tells him, "You were so pre-occupied with whether or now your could, you didn't stop to think if you should!"

It is the same way for us as entrepreneurs - in fact, the founder of Jurrasic Park is an entrepreneur going through this same issue.  Many times, we see the possibility and opportunity, but fail to see the incredible opportunities we already have and already working on.  The secret of successful entrepreneurship is to pick the best 1 or 2 opportunities and then devote yourself to them to see them through to their highest potential.  Sure, you can have multiple things going at once, but you must stay in your zone of genius and get help in the areas of outside of that really be successful across the board.  You will always do well to simply, focus, and execute.  And make sure you stop to think if you should!

Years ago, I stumbled upon Rudyard Kiplings's poem, IF.  If may be one of the most powerful messages for how to succeed in life.  It speaks to people in different ways, so I'm curious in how it will speak to you. Enjoy!
​
If, By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:


If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:


If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’


If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!