Don’t be Fearful to Demand More of Yourself

When you establish high standards for the life you want to live, you make a pact with yourself.  You make a conscious choice to always follow the path that is guaranteed to challenge you and stretches you to become the best version of what you can be.  

By living in congruence with a clear vision of what you want to become, your actions will flow from your thoughts and your beliefs.  This sets the blueprint for how you show up in the world – in quality of your work, the strength of your character, and the sincerity of your relationships. 

You can’t fake your way to this, it has to come from an intrinsic motivation deep within that presses you to always seek the path of greatest potential growth.  It might not always feel good, and it certainly won’t be easy at times, but it will be worth it.  Why?  

When you play small games, you win small prizes.  But when you put yourself in a position to stretch beyond your boundaries of comfort, you can’t help but grow.  

Once you’ve internalized demanding more of yourself as a habit, it no longer becomes something you practice sporadically.  It becomes part of your identity.  In doing so, you set the benchmark of your potential and your new true north becomes aiming to make the best of your todays the worst of your tomorrows.  What are some practical ways to do this? 

Treat life as a game with increasing levels of difficulty and reward. 

• Take your career, for instance. Are you in a position that pays you what you think you are worth?  Have you ever taken the time to really figure out what you are worth?  Are you just doing it for a paycheck?  In this case, demanding more of yourself would include taking an inventory of your skillset, reaching out to network with others, and understanding what other roles of greater responsibility would be a good fit for you to advance your career.  It is setting your sights well beyond where you currently are and infusing them with the belief that you can close the gap. 
• As a second example, from a physical standpoint, do you find yourself being lazy and lethargic? Do you get enough exercise?  Are you making your health a priority? 

These seemingly simple examples are meant to illustrate ways to set your benchmark; take inventory of how well you are taking care of yourself personally and professionally.   Your life should always be working its way up a growth curve.  If you are underperforming in any area of importance to your life, you need to figure out why.  

Take the time to self-reflect, this should not be something you want to consciously avoid. More often than not, it will come down to a matter of mindset.  Mental toughness is a major piece of this puzzle.  

If you are conditioned to taking the easiest path in front of you, you will always regress to the middle.  Do you want to settle for average? Break that cycle and don’t be fearful to demand more of yourself.