Les Brown, author of the inspiring book ‘Live Your Dreams’, said: “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you do have to get started to be great.”
So when should you start? NOW! Decide to kick mediocrity to the curb and let your inner extraordinary shine through – TODAY.
To help get you started, we’ve created a list of some great ideas that cover the big areas in your life and business.
Start each day as you mean to go on: (ie. with a positive attitude) – remind yourself that your actions WILL make a difference. In a world where mediocre is the norm, your extraordinary efforts won’t go unnoticed.
Set expectations and goals that are extraordinary: As the extraordinarily talented Michelango once said “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
And in the pursuit of extraordinary for yourself and your business, you need to make sure you’re reaching as high and as far as you can imagine. Dream wildly and write those dreams down.
Start by answering the following questions:
• If you could achieve greatness in your business – what would that look like? (your vision).
• How would you know when you got there? (Your objectives).
• When can you make that happen by? (Timeline).
• What can you do to get there? (Your strategy).
Now put that plan on your wall where you can see it all the time. Better still, laminate it on a card and keep one in your briefcase, another in the bathroom drawer and another on the sun visor of your car.
You could even have it be your screen saver (or background on your computer). That way, you’ll see it on a daily basis and it will become part of your life.
Know what your business stands for and practise those values – so, take a few minutes to ask yourself - what values does your business aspire to?
And then consider whether those values are represented in your products or services. If they are, congratulations! But if they aren’t, it’s time to bring them into line.
Perfect your customer service: To keep your customers coming back for more, make sure you provide them with extraordinary customer service. If you work on the phone, lead with your smile. Believe it or not, your smiles are heard over the phone!
If you make direct contact with your customer, lead with direct eye contact. This will help you create a personal experience so customers feel they’re valued as a person not just for their transaction.
Create an extraordinary team: Whether you’re a team of one, five or a hundred, make sure you establish a strong work culture where everyone has the same expectations of themselves and others. You might find that not everyone aspires to be extraordinary – so make sure you build a balanced team of people who have the same values as you do.
At the end of the day, kicking mediocrity out of your business (and your life) is up to you. It doesn’t require expensive training or consultants – it requires you, the amazing business owner you already are, to believe in and trust your inner extraordinary self.
The genius Albert Einstein once said: “The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.”
So make the change and be extraordinary.
