If you are like most people these days, you are stressed out about one thing or another. Either you don’t make enough money, are on the brink of losing your job, or are overworked. The problem is, you have been playing small all of your life. This article will teach you how to make a million dollars by playing to win.
First of all, you must know that the biggest enemy to having success in any area of your life is mediocrity. This applies to parenting, relationships, business, and your career.
No matter what you endeavor to do in life, make sure you start out by making the decision the be the best that you possibly can at it. This is referred to as achieving mastery. Accept nothing less and you will be happier than you ever dreamed you could be.
Now for the playing to win part. When was the last time you really put your all into something? I mean you totally sold out to an idea or a project that had captured your time and attention? Can you even remember a time when that has ever happened? Sadly, most people can’t. Most of the time, they do just enough to get by–and barely at that.
Let’s use a major league sports analogy. If you were a hockey player and you played every game half-heartedly, how much would you expect to get paid? Not very much, I am sure. You probably wouldn’t make it very far. In fact, you’d be lucky if you were even able to make it onto a farm team. You would definitely be considered a C player or below.
In contrast, if you were in the major leagues, you would command a salary of at least one million dollars per year. Now I am not suggesting that you drop everything and become a major league hockey player and that is how to make a million dollars. If that were so, I could end here.
But I am saying that you need to look at things like a major league player and play your heart out in every game, so to speak. Be the best. Set some priorities. That is the only way to be an A player and get paid like one, too.
Is it possible to be an A player in everything you do? Probably not. You may have things you do for fun or entertainment. Let those things be further down on your list.
Speaking of lists, this may be a good time to evaluate the things you have going on in your life right now and place them in order of importance. In fact, this simple exercise can shed some light on a lot of hidden opportunities for personal growth. Remember–your income will only grow in proportion to how much you are willing to grow as well.
Go ahead and get out a piece of paper and write down all of the things in your life that are worthy of your time and attention. Now rank them in order, with one being the most significant to you and so on.
Then, rewrite your list so that the number one item is on the very top and the rest follow sequentially. Once you have your list in the proper order, evaluate each item on a scale of one to ten based on your level of mastery of each one, with ten being a perfect score.
When you finish, you will have a fairly accurate representation of where you are right now in your life. You will be able to tell where you need improvements. You may even be able to tell which areas having been holding you back from being completely happy or successful.
Lastly, determine here and now that you will play to win from now on. Once you resolve to be paid like the A player, the money will flow. It may seem overly simplistic, but that really is how to make a million dollars.