Excellence is not a skill.
It’s a habit. As such, it can be developed.
Here are 15 ways you can start now to develop it.
1: Never stop learning
It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or an expert in your field.
Everything is an opportunity for learning.
Even if you hear things that you take for granted and consider “basic”.
I spoke about this here: https://youtu.be/IP2e7-Sq_64
2: Selective Ataraxia
Remove from your life anything that distracts you from your excellence.
Yes, it’s brutal.
You don’t need to do it all at once. But gradually you must if you want to achieve great things in your field.
3: Assume your victories
Always assume that everything you do is going to be a great success.
It may sound delusional, but it’s the truth.
After all, even when you fail at something, you are actually winning.
Not in terms of money, trophies or fame, but in priceless lessons and experiences.
4: Study complementary skills
Learning and refining your core skills is essential.
But when you reach a good level, you need to start and learn skills that complements your core ones.
This is the only way you can find new peaks and reach new goals.
5: Focus
Might sound contradictory to number 4.
But in reality, you need to constantly balance between learning new things and focusing on improving the old ones.
Every “excellence” is unique. The only way you can find your equilibrium is by constant repetition and experimentation.
6: Per aspera ad astra
A Latin saying that means “through difficulties to the stars”.
The harder the challenges, the faster your way to excellence will be.
7: Remember what drives you
Many things are driving you to excellence.
Sometimes are big and aspirational (the “saving the world” kind of motivations). Sometimes small and personal (making more money, becoming more successful, etc…).
Always remind your self all of them.
8: Obsession
Develop a healthy obsession for your skills.
Every excellent artist, professional, speaker, athlete and high achiever is excellent BECAUSE he is obsessed.
While the others drink beer in front of Netflix, he is studying and practicing.
9: Break your comfort zone
Everything you do should be a bit outside what you are comfortable with.
That’s what makes you grow and experience new things.
And the bigger your comfort zone, the more opportunity you have to make it bigger.
10: Move more chess pieces
Most people have at most 1 or 2 projects they work on at a time.
Do more. Create more. Implement ideas as fast as you get them.
Move as many pieces on your chess board as you possibly can.
11: Don’t settle for mediocrity
Mediocrity is the death of every skilled person.
Always demand more from your self.
Leave mediocrity to the others.
12: Rest and recover
Yes, be obsessed.
Yes, do more and learn more.
But don’t be a kamikaze. Take time to rest and recover.
Give time for the new lessons and experiences to settle down inside of you.
13: Network strategically
Meet people that are on the path of excellence, even if it’s in a different field.
Also, meet people that need the skills you want to become an excellence in.
All of this will open to you an unimaginable amount of doors.
14: Seek mentors
Mentors can help you reach new heights without years of mistakes.
They can show you the way and give you answers you cannot find anywhere else.
And, since good mentors aren’t easy to come by, books are a great second best.
15: Plus, equal, minus
There are 3 ways to learn and improve faster.
Pluses: observe people who are better with you.
Equals: work with people who have a similar level of skill than yours.
Minuses: become a teacher or a mentor for those who are less skilled than you.