Over a decade ago I spent two years in Tony Robbins’ Leadership Program (which also inspired me to run marathons and change careers and run two startups). Tony used to quote Jim Rohn what I still consider the most important life lesson:
“The quality of your life is a direct reflection of the expectations of your peer group. Choose your peers wisely.”
This is actually two important lessons in one:
1) Choose friends who will challenge you to higher standards
2) Step up to those new standards
When I worked with startups noone went home at 5 o’clock or ever quit creating new, amazing things. For most in the firm it was not a “job” but a “mission”. Interestingly, since I returned to the corporate life I ended up seeking out or creating similar high performing groups with a sense of mission and passion for making a dent in the universe (thanks Steve J. for naming the phenomenon…). People that get to work in such environments always produce results noone thinks they are capable of. Let alone themselves. Yet there they are.
CrossFit takes this to even higher standard for me. I have never found a loose federation of people so committed, passionate and determined that I find in CF athletes. Can you imagine your work colleagues staying behind cheering you on until you finish your project? And never letting you off the hook? I’ve yet to have someone tell me that ‘you can stop now, you’ve done enough pull-ups’. Yet it happens all over work in America and beyond. We allow each other lower our standards and be less that we can be.
For those of us fortunate enough to be challenged to ‘one more rep’ by our friends of the highest standards: I’m looking forward to making a new dent in the universe with you…
