The Excellence Factor: The Power of Directing Thoughts & Actions

As high achievers, we are constantly striving to push ourselves to new heights and achieve our goals. We often focus on our actions and behaviors as the key to success, but what about our thoughts? The power of directing your thoughts and behaviors is crucial in achieving high performance and producing excellence.

The first step in directing your thoughts and behaviors is to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Without a clear vision, it's easy to get sidetracked by distractions and actions that don't contribute to your long-term goals. Your vision should be a guide that helps you determine what actions and behaviors will move you closer to your goals.

Once you have a clear vision, it's important to be aware of your thoughts and behaviors. Awareness allows you to take a step back and evaluate whether your thoughts and behaviors are aligned with your vision and goals. This helps you stay on track and avoid getting bogged down by distractions and unproductive behaviors.

For example, let's say you are an athlete training for a big competition. Your goal is to win the competition and set a new personal record. You have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, and you have developed a training plan that you believe will help you reach your goal.

However, during your training sessions, you find yourself getting distracted by your phone or social media. You notice that you're not fully present in your training and your performance is suffering as a result.

In this scenario, being aware of your thoughts and behaviors is crucial. You need to recognize that your behavior of checking your phone is not aligned with your vision and goals. By redirecting your behavior and focusing on your training, you can improve your performance and get one step closer to achieving your goal.

Another powerful tool for directing your thoughts and behaviors is to ask yourself, "Does this serve me?" This question helps you evaluate whether your thoughts and behaviors are helping you move closer to your goals or hindering your progress.

For example, let's say you are a business owner who wants to increase sales and expand your business. You are considering investing a large sum of money in a new marketing campaign. Before making the investment, you ask yourself, "Does this serve me?"

By asking this question, you are forcing yourself to evaluate whether the investment will actually help you achieve your goal of increasing sales and expanding your business. This helps you avoid making impulsive decisions that may not be in line with your vision and goals.

The power of awareness and purposeful thinking goes beyond just achieving your goals. It also helps you become more resilient in the face of adversity. By being aware of your thoughts and behaviors, you can more easily adapt to unexpected challenges and setbacks.

For example, let's say you are an entrepreneur who has experienced a setback in your business. You've lost a major client, and your revenue has taken a hit. Instead of getting discouraged and giving up, you ask yourself, "How does this serve me?"

By asking this question, you are reframing the setback as an opportunity for growth and learning. You can evaluate what went wrong with the client and use that knowledge to improve your business practices in the future. This helps you become more resilient and bounce back stronger from setbacks.

In conclusion, directing your thoughts and behaviors is a crucial component of achieving high performance and producing excellence. It starts with having a clear vision of what you want to achieve and being aware of your thoughts and behaviors. By regularly evaluating your actions and asking yourself, "Does this serve me?" you can stay on track and overcome obstacles and setbacks with resilience and purpose.