Never Settle For Anything Less Than You Are Capable Of Achieving
98. Never settle for anything less than you are capable of achieving.
I’m glad this Tool comes later in the list because for many of you it can provide some insight to the reason you are in your present situation. For starters, there is a gap that exists for all of us. This gap is bounded by what we are willing to settle for and what we are capable of achieving. You are in control of 99% of the equation, and knowing this gives you a lot of room to play with. Also, in an effort to be honest, truthful and realistic, we may have certain limitations on what we can achieve. So let’s all agree that we can’t all be a pro quarterback or the first woman to land on Mars. I am not saying it can’t happen but for the sake of argument when it comes to people like you and me, we are attempting to discover what we can achieve and how to avoid settling for anything less.
When we leave this earth, some of us will pass instantaneously. The other group of us will have some time to look back and reflect on what we have done in our life. A common theme I hear repeated over and over is the wish that a person had done more with their life. Often the common regret that is expressed is that they wish they hadn’t settled. Time and time again they feel a void because of their inability to reach their full potential. At this time of self-reflection, realizing they didn’t become the best that they could be, instead settling for what they thought was ok. Why do people settle? Well, when we settle we are treading water. The benefit to treading water is that we are almost guaranteed to survive. The dilemma with treading water is that we will most always do just enough to keep our head above water.
So why incorporate this Tool into your blueprint? Because the biggest regrets in life are those who settled for less than they could have become. There is no reward for settling because you are accepting a level that you have already achieved. When you strive to reach what you are capable of receiving, you have a chance of receiving what you deserve. You may hit the mark just a tad below the top but above the settling point. Or you may have settled and never realized what you could have achieved if you hadn’t. I have rarely met someone who went for it and completely missed it. I have heard many a story of those who regret they never tried.