I think a lot of people find me annoying.
Okay… I KNOW a lot of people find me annoying.
You see, I’m one of those nerds who’s always reading some kind of self-help/improvement/learn how to do something better-ish kind of book.I mean, really, if you’re ever at Barnes & Noble, check out the self-help section…that’s where you’ll find me. ALWAYS.
There…I said it.
Most people are embarrassed to admit that. They think self-help books are just for losers. But you know what? Last time I checked, wanting to do something better doesn’t make you a loser. Instead, it makes you the kind of person that refuses to settle… you should be proud of that.
How many of you have good jobs?
How many of you are in good relationships?
How many of you are good writers?
How many of you are good friends?
If you are, you need to be careful. Yea, careful. Because the minute that you accept that you’re “GOOD” at anything, more often than not, you STAY good at it.
Now, I hear you… “What the heck is she talking about?” and “Why is it bad to be good at something?”
Why???? Here’s why…
Because it means that you settle for “GOOD” instead of working your ass off to get to “GREAT.” If you don’t understand this, you need to read Jim Collins’ book…Good to Great (actually, even if you DO understand this, you should still read that book… it’s kind of awesome).
Although the book primarily focuses on companies and organizations and their need to strive for excellence in everything that they do, the concept is very much applicable to our everyday lives.
You know, when you’re BAD at something, chances are that you put a lot of effort towards getting better. But here’s the problem…when you get to being GOOD at it, you usually stop trying.
YES!!!! I”M GOOD!!! SUCCESS!! But why are we stopping at GOOD? Why is GOOD suddenly the best that there is?
In terms of your career, for example, is it good? If it IS good, what are you actively doing to take it to the next level? Did you forget that there’s a next level?
In terms of your relationship…is everything good? It is?! That’s wonderful! But again, what are you actively doing to make it better? What are you doing to make it GREAT?
If we settle for good, we’re missing out on a whole lot of potential. And if we’re actually aiming for good, well…quite frankly, we’re not aiming high enough.
I’m a big believer in continuous learning…in continuous improvement. And you know why? Because the moment you settle for good, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage… especially if you’re running a company in a competitive market.
The moment you settle for good, that’s where you stay.
And meanwhile, overachieving nerds, like myself, are doing everything in their power to get to the next level. And then, those people surpass you.
And then, you get left behind.
Yea, you’re GOOD…
Congratulations!
But not good enough.
For this post, YouTern thanks our friends at Gen Y Girl!
About the Author: Kayla Cruz graduated college at the age of 20 with a degree in Health Services Administration. She is currently working as a Regulatory Coordinator in Clinical Research while pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Administration specializing in Human Resources. She has found she’s most passionate about helping young professionals navigate through their first few years as GenYers in the workforce. Follow Kayla on Twitter!
