Daily Quote: “Self-improvement is the name of the game, and your primary objective is to strengthen yourself, not to destroy an opponent” Maxwell Maltz
It has often been said that standing still actually means moving backwards. This principle applies to everything in life. It’s our personal lives, our careers, our investments our life in general. If you don’t seek improvement in every area of your life you will get left behind.
This is very evident in the lives of sporting people. Looking at athletics or swimming for instance, the records constantly tumble. In gymnastics and diving the skills levels are permanently pushed higher.
What managed to get you a win a few years ago, such as a double summersault or a 10 seconds 100m, does not even qualify you anymore for the world championships or Olympic Games.
The same applies to business. Companies have to have sophisticated accounting systems that identify profits and expenditure on a daily basis. They need to show up clients analysis, track sales, show up faulty product and in general allow management to have the information required to beat off competition.
Product development has to be number one and any company that sits back thinking they have a winning product for the next few years will surely fail. As the product is launched the next one must already be in the wings ready to be brought out.
Over and above constant product development new trends need to be noted and where required incorporated into the product. In present times this revolves around technology that will allow your product to go ‘green’. In other words the impact on the environment has to be minimised.
Motor vehicles have to have less emission, packaging has to be eco-friendly and even the big companies are now being more careful in appointing overseas manufacturing facilities trying to ensure that the local workforce is not exploited.
How does this affect your life? It affects you in many ways and constantly. Not only do you need to be always learning new things. You need to be aware all the time what skills you need for work, career and personal development. You have to acquire knowledge in all areas of your life so that you can keep up never mind get ahead.
This is not necessarily a bad thing at all. Keeping yourself up to date, stimulating your brain, learning new skills will keep you alive and active. Keeping your status quo or ignoring new technology and challenges will allow you to stagnate and finally slip into a vegetative state.
It is not age that is the killer for people. Many dynamic men and women hold senior positions, govern countries, explore science and nature and work as fully capable people into their senior years.
They can do this because they keep their brains and bodies active and spend their time learning new skills and acquiring further knowledge. These types of activities keep your mind young and allow you to constantly improve your standard of living and enjoyment of life.
Nelson Mandela is a prime example of what man can do. He spent 27 years in prison, under horrific conditions. There was no luxury accommodation for him. Yet at an age when most people retire, he took on the governing of a country and worked to try and make the transition to a democracy as successful as possible. He was 76 years old when he became the first Black President of South Africa.
Most people have given up on life at that age and spend their years bickering and complaining in old age homes and retirement villages. It’s because they got tired of having to constantly keep themselves up to date. And they are tired because they see it as a burden rather than an invigorating challenge.
If you want to stay truly alive, commit to never-ending improvement.
