Raising the bar

To get better at anything we need to expose ourselves to circumstances or people that stretch us. To people that help us improve our methods, attitudes or our philosophy.

I can remember when I was in the Air Force over 40 years ago. I was in Japan at the Olympic trials for the discus. I had been throwing the discus since high school and had always been first or second in the major meets. I finally figured out that during my practice sessions preparing for these big state and regional events I didn’t have anyone on my team that could push me. I had to relay on myself to raise my own bar. But I didn’t know how so I settled for the distance I achieved as long as I won or came in second. Consequently I was never able to reach my full potential as a track athlete.

When I got to Japan later in life I was up against some very stiff competition. After winning the Discus in the Pacific Track Meet on Guam I was off to the big one. I didn’t place first but I broke my own personal record. I had finally learned that success is not beating everyone else, because there will always be someone faster, smarter, better, stronger and wiser. I had learned that the only thing that mattered was raising my own bar. It was only important to continue to beat my own previous best.

Success is not about where other people’s bars are. Not about what records they have set. And not about competing with anyone. It is only about beating your own personal previous best.

Why raise the bar anyway, why not be satisfied with where you are and your past accomplishments. It is simple. You have a choice in life to live in the past, present or future. To rest on your laurels, past successes or to see how much better, smarter, faster or stronger you can be. You can fantasize about what could be. Or you can spend your days working on getting better now, without a paranoid fear of failure or desire to succeed in the future.

Life is lived in the NOW moments one at a time. We create both our memories and our future in the present. So don’t worry about where the bar was last year or where it will be next year. And don’t give any energy to where everyone else’s bar is.

Stay in the present getting better little by little, moment by moment, day by day, year by year.

Make it a great week, In His Service, Tim