Podcast:
At Inside Outlooks, we love staying connected with our former and current clients. Recently, we posed a thought-provoking question to both groups:
“If we could discuss one topic that would have a life-changing impact on your business or life, what would it be?”
One of the top responses was: “What does it take to be successful?”
This question specifically explored whether success stems from a focus on work and action or if it also takes contemplation and reflection. Today, we’re diving into this topic, emphasizing our belief that personal growth is an inside job.
Defining Success: Can Doing Less Lead to More?
A common question we hear is whether success can be achieved by doing less. We believe that success often comes from balancing action with thoughtful contemplation. It’s not about reducing intellectual effort; instead, it’s about harmonizing thinking and doing. Overthinking without action or overacting without thinking can both lead to paralysis.
Consider a bottle of wine. It improves when it is afforded time to breathe because of a chemical change. Similarly, we as human beings also need time to breathe. When we allow ourselves time to breathe we also create a good environment for reflection and contemplation. Think of this practice as something that complements our actions rather than replacing them.
Imagine preparing to jump 12 buses on a motorcycle: careful analysis and planning are crucial. Conversely, attempting to jump over a motorcycle with a bus involves far less contemplation and more immediate action. Different situations require varying degrees of thought and action.
Building Habits: Chemical Reactions and Manifestations
Healthy habits require a balance of preparation and action. Whether it’s improving sales or enhancing a relationship, contemplation helps set the stage for new habits or goals. Like wine undergoing a chemical reaction, reflection can be crucial, but it must lead to action.
Olympic athletes visualize their success before manifesting it through practice. They repeatedly imagine and then execute their strategies. Similarly, success in everyday life involves visualizing goals and then practicing the actions needed to achieve them.
Balancing Contemplation and Action
Visualization, contemplation, and reflection need clear parameters to translate into effective actions. For example, a salesperson can meditate on successful sales interactions, then act on those visualizations to improve results. Repeating internal imagination practices and contemplating necessary actions, followed by actual practice, is essential.
If you consistently reach 80% of your sales quota, use contemplation to identify new strategies rather than repeating the same actions. Reflecting on different approaches can lead to actions that achieve better results.
Avoiding Insanity: The Role of a Coach
Insanity is defined as repeating the same actions and expecting different results. To avoid this, consider hiring a coach who can identify blind spots you might miss. A coach provides an external perspective, helping you see what’s hindering your progress and enabling faster success.
Achieving Balance for Success
To be successful, you need to balance contemplation with action. Positive contemplation should lead to productive action. Despite time constraints, intentional reflection is crucial. Eliminate distractions, sit quietly, and think about your business practices and goals. Visualize your success, then act on it.
We appreciate the questions from our clients that helped us explore this idea of success. It’s not just about working harder, but also avoiding overthinking. Find the balance, recognize blind spots, and act on your reflections.
Remember, you’ll never be as young as you are today, so don’t waste time. If you have thoughts or questions about our podcast, contact us at Inside Outlooks.
