Whether being challenged to a race on the playground or hearing it blaring from speakers at a racetrack, we’ve all heard that phrase and we know what it means. But how can we transfer the same adrenaline triggered when we hear, “Ready, set, go!” to our everyday lives? It’s all about training our minds to build habits that propel us across the finish line.
Get Ready
It starts with knowing what you want and having the creativity to create a way to get it. Take time to study, think and plan your path to your goal. Are there elements from previous flawed efforts that can be repurposed and joined with new knowledge to get what want? Use your intuition to invent your vision of success.
Next, make sure that vision is grounded in accurate thought and not built on illogical reasoning that will crumble when challenged. Just as an athlete conditions their body with a healthy diet to get ready for competition, agents must separate fact from fiction to feed our minds with the best information. Doing this allows us to reach decisions quickly and weed out doubts that may keep us from our goals.
Staying logical doesn’t mean we abandon emotion; you just have to keep it controlled. Personal initiative and a habit of self-discipline takes repetitive, hard work, but it allows you to keep on top of your thoughts and stay positive. These steps get you ready to embark on the race to your objective.
Get Set
With the race set to begin, it’s time to get focused. Push away the distractions that will only draw you off course and slow you down. Controlling your attention and organizing your thoughts help you to not lose sight of where you are headed. Every day, ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing right now leading me toward or away from my goal?”
Your desire to work toward your goal is what gets you in the race, and your enthusiasm is what sets you up for success.
However, be careful that your enthusiasm doesn’t get out of control and derail your progress. Too much enthusiasm is often the culprit of a false start in a race. Don’t spin your wheels and waste your time in a high-energy conversation that sounds good and produces no result.
Go!
When it’s time to act on your objective, don’t hold back. We should be aiming not just to compete in the race, but to win it! That means going the extra mile and over-delivering on what you’ve agreed to do. Agents who master this principle gain a reputation of being trustworthy and dependable. Their customers enjoy their experience more and it gets you closer to your goal.
The initiative that got you in the race will also be key to improving and winning the race. At its core, taking initiative means that you keep moving forward no matter what obstacles you face.
Just as a car needs every gear for a fully working transmission, you need to shift through all of these readiness mindset gears to result in efficient, effective forward movement. Getting ourselves ready for the challenge ahead, gets us set on the trajectory that allows us to go exactly where we want to go in life.
David Ibarra is a managing director for Portfolio, a leading provider of reinsurance and F&I programs, and a nationally recognized leadership consultant, entrepreneur, speaker and author.
