“There is no beauty but the beauty of action.” – Moroccan Proverb
It is no secret that many of us dream of performing at our peaks wherever we find ourselves. As a matter of fact, the competitive nature of our world today has made peak performance an aspirational quality for many amongst us. We desire that competitive advantage that would put us ahead of our packs.
We want our efforts to be distinct and we want to stand out from the crowd. Interestingly, many of us have not achieved that because we observe the limited set of persons who perform at their peaks and have assumed that to be an abstract attitude.
That notion has caused mental blockages in many of us. For starters, the notion of peak performance being an elusive quality, reserved for the exceptionally gifted or inherently talented is misleading. Studies show that those individuals who excel in their fields are not necessarily those with the most innate talent, but those who made commitments to perfect their craft through relentless practice and a fearless approach to failure. Many of us do not perform at our peaks because we have not nurtured the discipline that will make us rise to the next level where our outputs are consistently valuable. We are on the plain where we are brilliant at times, and average at other times.
What we need to appreciate is that those who perform at their peaks do the same simple things we all can do, but they do them perfectly, quickly and consistently without fear of making mistakes. Is that the way you work?
Have you built that consistency in your deliverables? You are not at their level because even though you can do what they do, you have not pushed yourself to the level where you ensure your output is as valuable as theirs. At its core, peak performance is about the mastery of the basics, as in doing simple things with extraordinary precision, speed, and consistency.
What sets peak performers apart is their willingness to embrace the boring, and often repetitive practice of doing the simple things repeatedly with the understanding that it is the pathway to mastery. We all know repetition plays a crucial role in the process of learning. We experienced that when we were toddlers.
We were made to repeat the things, from learning to write to dressing ourselves. The more we undertook those tasks, the better we got at doing them. Our speeds and precision with which we performed them became better and our confidence about them went through the roof. Sadly, many of us as adults do not want to engage in repetitions. We develop an “it-is-beneath-me” attitude about it and we want to do everything in and with sporadic or haphazard efforts.
Performing at our peaks requires consistent and disciplined practice. Repeating tasks is a structured approach to learning and improvement. It is a consistency that empowers one to build a strong foundation, upon which more advanced skills can be developed. For instance, a writer who consistently practices writing every day will gradually improve their style, vocabulary, and coherence. Similarly, a salesperson who regularly nurtures relationships, improves his or her understanding of the product, builds his or her skills in communication, negotiations, and consultative selling, whilst following industry trends, competitors and the market dynamics is likely to close more deals, than others who rely on their certifications and accolades.
Many of us have the skills and knowledge to achieve great things, but we do not consistently apply them with a high level of precision, speed, and consistency. We are not there yet because we do not realise that self-actualising; the maximisation of our capabilities and potential involves discipline and a strong work ethic.
We need to show up every day, put in the work, and maintain high standards regardless of external circumstances. We need to be committed to excellence in all that we do to ensure that our outputs are reliable and more importantly, valuable. This challenges us to establish routines and habits that support this aspiration.
One of the reasons we should all strive to achieve peak performance is that it inherently fills us with a sense of accomplishment, which our boost our self-esteem and confidence. It is a quality that represents the pinnacle of our essence, and thus earns respect for us wherever we find ourselves. It contributes to our overall happiness and well-being. And as we strive to perform at our peaks, we do not only enhance our own lives but also contribute to the progress of our communities and the overall development of our humanity…_________________________________________________________________
Kodwo Brumpon works at Polygon Oval, a forward-thinking Pan African management consultancy and social impact firm driven by data analytics, with a focus on understanding the extraordinary potential and needs of organisations and businesses to help them cultivate synergies, that catapults into their strategic growth, and certifies their sustainability.
Comments, suggestions, and requests for talks and training should be sent to him at [email protected]
