By Amy King
Are you a recreational exerciser or weekend warrior looking to transition to athletic pursuits?
Or an athlete looking to unlock that next level of potential?
Or someone who is looking to unlock high performance across other areas of your life?
In this article I share 7 mindsets you can adopt to help you unlock that next level of performance.
It’s just…
This line of thinking can undermine your success. People who are high performers or athletes don’t think, “It’s just.” With comforting activities - unless, of course “it’s just” another rep or “mile”).
The difference between you and success is how disciplined you are with the small actions about your work, habits, food and training.
I remember when I first started out with competing (bodybuilding)… I copped a lot of flack for measuring out precisely my daily almond portion with scales when working away on site.
I would get questions on “It’s just” some almonds, surely you can just grab a few.
But that’s not the point. To dial in a physique to a competitive level, you must do a lot of little things to accumulate the result.
Successful people always strive to exceed expectations, whether in their careers or personal life. This can mean putting in extra hours at work, taking on additional responsibilities, or going the extra mile for a client or customer.
By doing more than what’s asked, you demonstrate your commitment and dedication to excellence.
For example, if you’re working on a project, don’t just meet the deadlines, try to finish it ahead of time. Or, if you’re an entrepreneur, offer exceptional customer service or go above and beyond to deliver products or services that exceed your customer’s expectations.
My Coach is prime example of this… he’s accumulated over 150 first place wins and 4 pro cards for his bodybuilding clients over 30 years due to his precision, dedication and willingness to go above and beyond with all of his competitors.
Whether you're looking to improve your lifestyle habits, take your athletic performance or overall performance to the next level I'm here to help.
As an experienced fitness, nutrition & performance coach I work with you to optimise all area of your health & well-being.
To see how I can support your journey, why not connect with me over a virtual coffee?
If you get feedback from someone, apply it to other areas of your work too. I had a manager once who gently highlighted that my current development plan wasn’t as clear and detailed as my athletic roadmap.
So, I took that on board, developed a comprehensive plan that not only made my intentions clear, but mapped out exactly what daily activities I would do to demonstrate which capabilities I had developed to make me suitable for a different role...
And…
Provided specific actions that would help my manager help me with those capabilities and getting to that next role.
Remember, this is YOUR life and career. People will not go out of their way to help you. They will give you instructions, ask you things, share feedback, but it’s up to you to do something with that.
If you want to get better at anything, you need to invest in yourself. This means continuously learning new skills and knowledge that will help you advance your career, athletic performance or business.
By continually educating yourself, you increase your value as an employee or entrepreneur. This can lead to higher salaries, better job opportunities, and increased revenue. As an athlete is can be the difference in creating an edge or capitalising on your achievements.
There are many ways to educate yourself. My favorites are books, courses, podcasts, and YouTube videos. Anything I can learn on my own.
You can’t expect to stay great if you don’t keep learning. Technology and the economy change so fast that it’s impossible to stay ahead without continuous education.
Keep learning. And you’ll find ways to earn more and advance your goals.
The old adage, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” is especially true when it comes to success.
By surrounding yourself with winners, you’ll be more likely to adopt their positive habits and mindset.
If you’re surrounded by losers, they will only drag you down. Instead of encouraging you to work harder or get smarter, they’ll say, “Have another drink. It’s just one!”
Sure. We don’t do “just” one more drink. Instead, we learn, exercise, read, meditate, and do other things that enrich our lives.
Look, life is not a zero-sum game. If others win, it doesn’t mean you’re a loser.
If you want to stay where you are and never win, just do this. Get jealous every time you see a successful person. Think to yourself, “Why that person, and why not me?”
I guarantee you will not be a happy person. And even if you do win with that mindset, you will never be content.
External validation doesn’t always equate to success… and your tenacity will inspire others to step up.
So, instead of competing with others, compete with yourself. Improve yourself and look for ways to generate more pathways for everyone.
Well, here’s the thing, you can’t control who rocks up on the day or any other of the external conditions… what you can focus on though is bringing your best and beating your last performance.
Henry David Thoreau once said:
For example, I look at a big book on a topic I’m interested in and think, “I can’t wait to dig into that.”
And another person thinks, “Ugh. Who reads books anymore?”
Our perception of things shapes our experiences and ultimately, our reality. This is why it’s essential to cultivate a mindset that gives you the life you want.
Once your mindset is in the right place, you must protect it. Don’t let other people or external pressure change how you view the world.
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Amy King is the founder of AKE Fitness & Nutrition. When she’s not serving her clients, she is pursuing her corporate career in mining, bodybuilding and spending time with loved ones. She calls Perth, Western Australia home.
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