I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the quote “How you do anything is how you do everything.” It’s a powerful quote, that forces you to revisit the little things that you do every day from brushing your teeth and cleaning to your business or work.
I remember when I first joined the workforce on how little I cared for details. I use to gloss over the minutia to push through the task quickly. As I progressed through my career, I noticed that some of the highest performing people were also the most anal about the details. They didn’t cut corners and always expected you to give it their best to any task regardless of how little it was. It’s no surprise that these high performers propelled themselves higher in the organization, as people on top noticed their work.
I wanted to be a high performer just like them.
Over the last 4 years, I started meticulously changing how I do anything because I wanted to transform how I do everything. I had to unlearn the bad habits that I developed throughout my school and college career and push myself to be a high performer in everything that I do.
Below are a few ideas that I consciously think about when doing anything:
- Dig until you find the root of the issue – Don’t take anything at face value. This could be anything from a major issue at work to insecurity to an emotion.
- Proofread everything – I can’t stress the importance of solid writing skills.
- Anticipate your audience’s questions and ensure you have answered them to the best of your knowledge. If you don’t have the answer, make sure you circle back to them to show them that you’re willing to get the right answers for them.
- Take the initiative and create new opportunities for yourself and your team. Nothing is more important than your team (whether it’s your team at work or your family) and growth.
- Be kind and compassionate to others – I know you didn’t expect this one, but I’ve also learned that high performers tend to also be amazing with people and building camaraderie. I always make it a point to reward people that have helped in a significant way.
- Have an opinion or an idea – your manager or upper management doesn’t have all the answers. They might have spent more time than you think about the strategy or direction, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have anything of value to offer. No one likes to have a yes-man or woman on the team.
- Be a leader – take responsibility for the progress and execution of your goals. That might mean you have to do more than you are asked for, but you’re ok.
- Self-awareness – pay extreme attention to everything you do and say. Self-awareness is the first step into making any adjustments in your life.
- Lifelong learning and curiosity – Never stop being a student.
“How you do anything is how you do everything.”
If you want to be a high performer in life, be mindful of how you do the little things. Don’t be afraid to fundamentally change yourself to do everything to achieve your goals. These changes will permeate to other parts of your life and ultimately transform everything you’ve come to know.
These changes and habits take hard work and I certainly find myself stooping to laziness from time to time. Don’t expect it to be an easy path.
If you want to learn more about what it takes to be a high performer, check out these two books.
This pandemic won’t stop you from achieving your goals. Get our own way. There has not been a better time to transform your entire life.