Reach For The Stars You Will Be Amazed How It Accelerates Your Career

When you extend yourself, demand a little more and notice you've moved up a notch, you will feel proud of yourself. You'll be happier, elated even.

Mar 13

Steve Jobs was a son-of-a-bitch to work with but Apple succeeded. Then he was kicked out and Apple failed. Then he returned and Apple succeeded again. What happened?

Steve set the bar high. He insisted on quality. Apple products had to be simple to use, good-looking and made from the finest materials.

The lesson is simple - Apple thrived when Steve demanded simplicity of use, stylish design, and high quality - but when the “suits” cut corners, obsessed about profit, and allowed quality to slide, Apple declined - then when Steve came back and set the bar high again for “simple, good-looking, high-quality” Apple bounced back and has continued to thrive.

Can you feel the difference?

Quality shines out.

Now it’s your turn…

Power up your space rocket

Here are 10 ways that you can reach for the stars and accelerate your career:

Live, think, and breathe quality in everything you do. BExude your passion for quality.
Learn and keep on learning about what you do and how to do better. Read, research, and practice something new every day.
Search, reach forward, and seek to improve. Demand that you improve.
Change whenever you feel weak or you fail. Do something different.
Question everything. In particular, question yourself, “Is there a better way?”
Notice your failures, fears, and annoyances - what are they telling you? “Whatever I did to create this feeling, how can I do it in a way that will create a strong, positive feeling?”
Surprises and setbacks tell you that you desperately wanted something, use that desire to energize your search for a way to get what you want.
Nail your freedom flag to a high mast. Excite yourself. Explore your own thoughts. Free up your feelings. Chase after your ideas.
Be candid and open with yourself and others. Laugh at your own stupidities.
Be your own superhero - face the world fearlessly. And create fearless spaces for others to express themselves.

Sounds easy, right?

If that was your first thought, go back and read the list again. Read slowly. Think hard about what it takes to live up to each of these standards.

Now commit yourself totally to those standards.

Success is coming your way.

Signs that you need to refuel

You have to be honest with yourself, you are going to come into conflict with your demons every day - many times a day. These “devils” will tempt you.

You may be tempted to lower your quality standards when you’re in a hurry or cost becomes an issue.
The TV or play may beckon when you need to study.
You may feel satisfied with your quality and rest on your laurels when you know you are not quite there.
It may be more comfortable to go on as you are. Change may appear unnecessary.
You may lose your curiosity and desire to challenge, so you take the easy option.
Failure may discourage you, or your fears may weaken your resolve, so you convince yourself you’re not good enough.
A surprise may knock the wind out of your sails, so you blame someone else.
You may start to invent rules and procedures rather than thinking creatively about how to raise up to changes and challenges.
It may become easier to do what everyone else says and does rather than being open and creative.
You may want to walk away rather than face the challenge and go one more round,

Yes, it’s going to be tough, but there is nothing you cannot think your way through. There is no feeling that you cannot make positive. You can always do something that will steer you to the stars.

And just imagine how fantastic you will feel every time you clock up a win.

The rocket mindset that will carry you to the stars

“Today I will improve the quality of something I did yesterday.”