This quote has stuck with me since my wife put it to me in a moment of my own freakiness. It’s a great quote – it beautifully nails the human endeavour – it’s all about control. In my experience as a coach, the surest way to lose control is to focus purely on “winning” – winning involves too many variables beyond one’s influence, let alone control. The day Lehman’s collapsed, a friend of mine lost 75% of his business. Yes, he probably had a freaky day or two in the aftermath, but to bounce back from a set-back, the focus isn’t on winning; it’s on acting like a consistent high performer. It’s the consistent high performer who has the presence of mind to take a deep breadth, step back and assess the situation, identify opportunities and have the courage to step forward again. It’s the high performer mindset that gives you the required control in order to be successful.

Question: What would be different in your life if you had 10% more of a high performer’s state of mind?

Adie