Dreams and Values

I've heard it said that people don't get to where they want to be because their values are not in line with their dreams. People can dream big and set lofty goals all they want, but if they aren't willing to change their way of thinking, goals mean nothing. What are the values that people need to change?

It's in our system of values to think that the work week is 40 hours long, and that you should get 8 hours of sleep to function. It's in our system of values to think that when we're tired, we should listen to our body and rest.  Our competition is putting in 45 or 50 hours a week.  Our competition knows that it is in our value system to work 40 hours per week, and is working those extra 5 or 10 hours so they can get ahead.  Our competition knows that it is in our system of values to spend 8 hours a day sleeping, and are only sleeping 6 hours, and while we are sleeping, they are using those extra 2 hours to get ahead.  The competition knows that it is in our value system to rest when we are tired, and so while we rest, they press on.

It's a common system of values that when the sun comes up, it's time to get up.  In the jungle, the gazelle waits until the sun rises to get up and begin the day. The lion knows that it's in the gazelle's value system to get up when the sun comes up, so the lion goes on the hunt before the sun rises, and while the gazelle is enjoying its comfort, the lion gets an easy meal.

Here is the bottom line. It boils down to the #1 rule of salesmanship: when value exceeds price, people buy.  When the prize is more valuable than the cost, people make the transaction.  The problem is that people don't value their dreams enough. People value sleep and comfort more than they value greatness.  When becoming a champion is more valuable than the price of sleep and personal comfort, you will make that transaction.  When the price of becoming successful at your business becomes more valuable than that hour of leisure time, it becomes much easier to pay the price, and to make that sacrifice.

This is the key: to be able to, at any moment, to sacrifice what you are for what you could become.

Expectations

In the world of competition, there is no A B C grading scale. There is no room in our world for "at least you tried your best" or "at least you won a medal".  In the world of competition, there is winning, and there is losing, and where there is losing, there is learning.  "At least you _____" doesn't count for anything unfortunately. There is no A B C grading scale.  This is pass or fail.  There is victory, or there is nothing.

I get it though.  When you are down, people want to pick you back up, so they say things like "you fought great", "at least you ______" because they want you to feel good.  But I don't want to feel good, I want to be a champion.  After a defeat or a setback, maybe you aren't supposed to feel good.  There are going to be a whole lot of failures, setbacks, and disappointments in between starting and success.  That's just the nature of the game.  But every defeat, every disappointment, and every setback is just another step closer to success.