Becoming the Best To Reach Your Goals

We live in a competitive world. Some of us are more competitive than others. If you’re the type who gets angry over losing a game of Scrabble, then congratulations, you’re very competitive. But there’s a healthy competitive nature that helps you reach your goals, and then there’s unhealthy. The Scrabble example probably falls on the unhealthy side, but it’s natural to want to be the best at our job, hobby, or anything else. How do we do that?

It’s not by wearing a certain brand of athletic shoe or applying a certain brand of lipstick, although the marketing people who are responsible for those campaigns would love to convince you of that. Like many things, there’s no one right answer, but there are ways to try and set yourself apart from the crowd and reach your goals.

Study the top tier

Do you want to start a business but have no idea how? Go to your favorite local small business and see if the owner has a few minutes to chat about what makes him or her successful. If you want to start a particular type of website, look at other websites in the category that most interests you. The best website designs usually have a few things in common, like easy readability and a clean, intuitive design. The fact is, a lot of people are born with a talent for things like dancing or writing or painting. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be the best at what they do right off the bat. That’s not the way the world works.

So if you’re an aspiring dancer, observe some local dance lessons, ideally advanced ones. Then sign up for beginning or intermediate dance lessons and work your way to the top.  If you’re sights are set on being  a writer,  read some article on tip for aspiring writers.  Then, enroll in a writing class.

Think of the last actor you heard being called “an overnight success.”  That’s almost never the case. Most actors toil away in obscurity for years or even decades before they get a role that really launches their career. Being “good” isn’t enough. You must also be persistent. Even persistence is no guarantee, but it gives you better odds than the people who stay home and don’t even bother trying.

Maximize your training and education

Experience matters. It matters quite a bit. But there are certainly cases where people work hard at a job for years but always seem to get passed over for a promotion. Then there are cases where you can’t even get a foot in the door without the right kind of degree listed on your resume. Those situations can be highly frustrating, especially if you feel like you’re too old to go back to school, or if you feel like you don’t have time to sit a classroom for hours each week.

But you’re never too old to learn, and there’s no rule that says you have to sit in a classroom. Online degree offerings are better than ever. Find options that don’t require you to completely rearrange your schedule to go to a live class.  There are many online continuing education institutions.  It’s not something to do on a whim; it’s still a time commitment. But it is possible, and it’s a way to ensure you’re maximizing all your opportunities. If you have enough education, look for local and regional training opportunities. Even a few hours of training can help you become a better employee.