Staying focused when you have multiple projects can be hard to do at times. When you become overwhelmed, it is easy for you and your team to become overwhelmed. When you are overwhelmed, you can often become complacent. The good news is that there are specific steps you can take to pivot out of complacency and into action.
A project’s completion, a promotion at work, or even a sporting victory were possibilities for the end goal. You showed up to work every day with a positive attitude. However, as a performance coach, I often see a subtle process hold as you near your goal. Did you begin to take pleasure in the perks of your success? Finding yourself lacking the same “edge” in your work? Do you feel more like prey than a hunter?
Let’s use professional sports as an example of how it’s challenging to maintain your position at the top of the mountain. There have only been eight teams to win the Super Bowl twice over the past fifty years, but no team has ever won the game thrice in a row. Major League Baseball is another option. Among the eight teams to win consecutive World Series championships are the Oakland Athletics (1972-74). In the 120-year history of American baseball in the United States, only 14 teams, including the Yankees, have won back-to-back championships.
So why are two consecutive championships so rare for major sports teams? Complacency may bear some blame, but the solutions are far from simple. When a team reaches the pinnacle of its success, it can relax and forget about the gnawing hunger that propelled it to that point.
Non-athlete performers can also benefit from these same principles. There are several other examples, including artists, businesspeople, and leaders.
To avoid falling into a state of complacency after you’ve achieved your goal, follow these five suggestions.
Every Day, Start from the Beginning
The key to long-term success is continuous improvement. Performers of the highest caliber don’t dwell on their past achievements. There are no days off for them when they show up for work. Every day, they come to work intending to improve themselves. The most successful people I’ve worked with have planned their practice sessions, meetings, and presentations in advance. I don’t think it’s a cliché to say that continuous improvement is the norm.
Assemble a Support Group of People Who Will Tell You the Truth
When someone has achieved success, it’s easy to attract those who want the same thing but aren’t ready for the sacrifices accompanying it. Their adoration comes at a high price, as flattering as it may be. Adulators are unwilling or unable to offer constructive criticism because they are motivated by a desire to maintain their place in the spotlight. They fear losing their position in the company’s top ranks by telling the truth. Many previously successful individuals, teams, and organizations have met their demise due to relying too much on this small group. As you may have noticed, I began this paragraph by referring to successful people rather than excellent ones. While those driven solely by success often fail to see this potential trap door, those who are consistently excellent do.
Rather Than Focusing on the Results, Concentrate on The Process
Excellence is achieved and maintained through a systematic approach. They are very conscientious about adhering to the procedures that have been established. The process is tweaked if the objectives aren’t met. Those solely concerned with the result may have some short-term success, but it will be short-lived. A method is necessary if you want to repeatedly achieve the same success.
Learn and Adapt Regularly
People and organizations that have achieved success often rely on their successes to keep them there. It is often the beginning of a cycle of complacency. If you want to maintain your level of excellence over time, you must have guiding principles and values, but you must also keep up with industry best practices and trends. For example, even the most conservative companies globally have a social media strategy. Initially, they may have been wary of social media. Still, today’s top companies know that their employees and customers use it to communicate with one another, and they expect other businesses they do business with to do the same.
Charge Your Batteries
It’s no secret that the best people are driven to succeed. Work-life balance doesn’t exist for them; they don’t work from 9 to 5, and they often go for extended periods without it. An imbalance may be necessary at times to rise to the top. For this reason, scheduling time for rest, relaxation, hobbies, reflection, and quality time with loved ones is essential to avoid becoming complacent in your work. To keep moving forward and innovating, we need this kind of fuel. If you don’t, you’ll end up like the hamster on a wheel. The hamster or the wheel eventually wears out.
Set New Objectives
When you’ve achieved a goal, don’t stop working toward a new one immediately. Employees will be inspired and motivated if the new goals are complex enough. It would help if you began planning for the future once you’ve had a chance to reflect on your achievements.
Keep your goals in mind and stay focused on them. It’s essential to understand why you’re aiming for a goal in the first place. Remind those around you of your mission and explain how new objectives and projects fit into that vision. Explaining the significance of their work will make it more memorable for them.
Encourage healthy competition among your employees. Keep in mind human nature and history. History demonstrates that complacency is a human trait. You can benefit from acknowledging that as an individual, team, or organization. However, don’t fall back on guilt or blame when you experience or witness it. Instead of worrying about it, buy it and put your mental and emotional energy into overcoming it.
Successful people needn’t succumb to a sense of complacency. Take on the challenge of being excellent rather than just successful, and you won’t have to worry about remaining at the top once you get there. Change is difficult. It’s scary to venture outside of our comfort zones. Please don’t wait until your current situation becomes untenable before making a change. Every day, take a few small steps and try something new.
