PRESSURE

Diamonds are formed when carbon deposits deep within the earth are subject to high temperatures and pressure.  Steam, which can power a locomotive or fuel a factory, is formed when heat is applied to water and it reaches a boiling point.  Runners under the pressure of a big race, achieve personal bests.

Pressure is a useful tool… but it might now always feel that way.

We just did a deep dive into personal and professional development with our team and a few clients last week, and here’s what I realized: without pressure you cannot grow.  Without a big dream and big goals that you can’t even do yet, you’ll stay exactly where you are.

Think about this if you ever feel “stuck.”  If you’ve already proven to yourself that you can achieve something, your brain conserves energy by using the same pathways that it made you successful the first time.

BE X DO = HAVE.  If you want “have” something different, then you need to “do” differently and “be” a different person than you were before.  Without pressure on what you want to have, there’s no reason for you to “be” or “do” any differently.

Here’s the formula for Life Success = DREAMS x GOALS x LEARN x PLAN x ACT

Dream BIG – so big that it makes you committed in your gut to achieving it.  Mine is solving big, global problems, like recycling and getting plastic out of our oceans.

Goals – require that you take action.  You shouldn’t be able to achieve your goals without growing as a person or leader (pressure).  My big goal is to grow a $100,000,000 company.  If I were the level of leader to do that, we’d already be there.  There is pressure for me to learn.

Learn – What do you need to learn to achieve the goals?  I need to study and mentor with other people who have grown $100,000,000+ companies.

Plan – your learning comes before the doing.  You can’t do the “do” without actually doing the learning.  So I listen to specific podcasts, read on the subject, coach with specific coaches and participate in conferences and on Boards where I can learn and be challenged by my peers.

Act – the daily, weekly and monthly habits that you and your team take to achieve the goals.

DxGxLxPxA – in that order, and you can achieve anything.

SO… dream big.  Find the pressure that will actually get you to move.  Understand that You have a “Be,” AND your Company has one too.  Both need pressure to grow.