It Never Gets Easier, You Just Get Better — 5 Principles in Your Pursuit of Excellence

Your path to a transformed life starts with believing in this quote

“It never gets easier you just get better.”― Jordan Hoechlin

When I started a business several years ago, I did not know exactly what was ahead of me. I had no idea how challenging it was to grow and sustain growth.

I believe that a major reason many businesses fail very early after they start is the underestimation of what it takes to run a successful business.

Starting a business is the easiest step. Figuring out a way to stay in business and grow the business is where the battle lies.

Only those who have committed to a life of continuous improvement will make it. They understand that it never gets easier. They have to get better to make it look easy for those looking from the outside.

If you find that things are easier for you in business, school, work, personal development, or sports, you should consider this a red flag. Why? Because it is a sign that you’re not growing. Growth, at any level, will require pain and/or discomfort. And if you feel pain or discomfort, it’s certainly a sign that it is not easy.

Those that go on to achieve excellence and mastery at what they do understand that it never gets easier. Even at their level of mastery, they still fight fears. They still have to overcome nervousness. They still get anxious. And they keep building the muscles required to continue to make progress in their endeavors.

For others that live in the “zone of ease”, they always have one foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brake. They start by accelerating with eagerness and don’t hesitate to step on the brakes when the hit the first, second, or third bump along their journey.

If you want to pursue excellence, you must buy into the fact that it never gets easier. You must be willing to stretch yourself and keep fighting and winning the mental tug of war that wants to pull you back to the “zone of ease”.

Here are 5 principles that will help you in your pursuit of excellence:

1. Be humble

In our world today, humility is not valued. Yet, it is required if you want to continue to excel.

If you’re humble, you will be super grateful. You will put others ahead of you. You will be respectful of the people who have contributed to your success. And you will be open to constructive criticism from the people you trust, and be willing to take advice to help you continue to evolve.

If you’re not humble, you will easily set yourself up for a catastrophic failure. Pride always leads to a fall.

2. Stay disciplined

The path to mastery is challenging and thus, requires great discipline.

Discipline is required to stay focused on what works and on what has worked for you in the past. Discipline will help you avoid the many distractions along your journey.

As you achieve success, discipline becomes more important. You will need a stronger mental state to continue to achieve at a higher level. If you’re in business, your competitors will be looking to steal market share from you.

So, if you hope to be the best at anything in life, you will have to stay disciplined.

3. Keep challenging yourself with bigger goals

One of the fastest ways to grow is to keep setting goals that seem impossible. You know the popular saying,

“Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you’ll stay on the floor.” — Bill Shankly

When I set the goal to write on Medium each day for 365 days, it certainly seemed like an impossible goal. After 45 days or so, it still seems impossible.

At the end of the day, achieving the goal is somewhat irrelevant. It is the experiences and memories created chasing the goal and the character you build along the way that is more important. This is what will last a lifetime.

4. Surround yourself with a strong and supportive team

It is impossible to achieve mastery in isolation. You need people that are far better and more experienced than you to help build you up. You need people who aren’t impressed by your accomplishments.

Whether it is a family member, friend, coach, or mentor, you need individuals who are always willing to be honest with you even when it hurts.

This is critical.

As much as you can, avoid people that always tell you that you’re great. Avoid people that never see anything wrong with you, people that never give you constructive criticism.

5. Execute

If you regularly live your life outside of your comfort zone you will be transformed. And transformation only comes with execution.

The ability to take risks and step into your fears, to move from head knowledge to the implementation of what you’ve learned is a great mark for those that achieve mastery.

If you don’t execute, nothing happens. Your life will not change. You will not be better than you were yesterday.

To execute, you must develop systems that will make execution effortless.

Be brave and don’t let your fears hinder your abilities. It’s time to create a legacy by executing what you know.

“To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.” — Steve Jobs

Final Thoughts

Let go of the foot on the brake.

Imagine you have no excuses as a way out when next you hit a bump in life.

Keep marching forward and acknowledge that the journey will never be easy and you will be on your way to excellence and a life of fulfillment.

P.S. Join my mailing list here to be notified of how you can join my 5-Day 1-hour-a-day challenge starting on July 6. This challenge will put you on the path to financial freedom and help eliminate all your money worries forever!

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