Being awesome isn’t an accident.
Sometimes it seems like something amazing you just experienced came out of nowhere.
But when you take a harder look at exceptional people who do extraordinary things, you realize that being awesome starts with a plan.
It’s governed by a set of rules. A set of rules you can adopt.
No matter what you want to achieve, you can be awesome at it.
Here’s how you do that:
- Be in the healing business first. — Heroes heal. The most powerful weapon you have is to put people back together. People will pay or do just about anything to feel better. When you help them do that, you position yourself to do awesome things.
- Practice better honesty, candor, and kindness. — Passive aggression kills your positive momentum. So do too many white lies. Don’t waste worry or sleepless nights on people or situations that you could improve with a clear and honest conversation about your expectations.
- Play the long game. Always choose the high road. — Time equalizes all things. Don’t obsess about delivering justice. The people who are doing wrong will harvest the consequences of their actions. If you’re not careful, you will waste your time doing everything but being awesome.
- Have a mission, not a series of goals. — Aim a little bit bigger. Goals come and go. A mission is life-changing. Take time to think about what you want for yourself. Obsess about your greatness. Don’t just do things. Be committed. That’s the beginning of awesomeness.
- Get some help for your head, health, and heart. — You’re busy helping everyone else. What are you doing to stay recharged and happy? Your dream will die as your spirit is diminished. Guard your sanity and inspiration. Hire a coach or a therapist — or both.
- Militantly fight average and ordinary. — Extraordinary outcomes are the result of you encouraging “being different.” Make yourself do hard things. Talk yourself through the drama of being unliked and uncomfortable. You can’t be ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.
- Use technology to smartly multiply your efforts. — There are dozens of specific apps that make new habits stick. Leverage smart tools to make your mission more powerful and effective.
- Make everyone around you feel awesome. — The biggest impact you can have is to inspire everyone you meet. Smile more. Even on the days where you are feeling absolutely awful. The best way to feel better about yourself to show love to those around you.
- Refuse to worry about things outside your control. — Change what you can change. Be deliberate about keeping your thoughts focused. Worry is a choice. You get to decide what you allow inside your head. Take action instead of sitting idly by, consumed by fear.
- Follow-up faster than other people anticipate. — Success is largely a result of being awesome at following up and following through. That extra week you take to return an important phone call or respond to any email is almost always the difference between success or failure.
- Avoid any negative influences in your day-to-day life. — Negativity will break your spirit and smother any motivation you might feel. Get away from people who bring you down. Make it a conscious effort. You aren’t going to fix them. They are going to break you.
- Make time to have a life outside of what you do as work. — You are not your job. You are you. And a better you means a better you at your job — or anywhere else you happen to be. Develop hobbies and friendships. Allow yourself to be curious. And obsessed.
It’s not going to happen overnight.
But awesome is worth it.
So make being awesome a permanent part of your life.
Improve. Adapt. Adopt new ideas and better ways of thinking.
Believe passionately in your mission. Just keep getting better.
Be awesome.