Success Thought of the Day – 12/4/20

Consider that many of our habits and behaviors, such as competitor benchmarking, are born out of institutional experiences.  

As an example, I typically get up between 4 and 4:30 AM.  If you asked me “why,” my answer was that I enjoy having the early morning time for devotionals and working out before starting my workday.   However, in further thought, the origin stems from my initial days at JPMorgan Chase.  I lived right outside of Philadelphia, but my office was in downtown Manhattan, New York.  To get there by 7 AM, I needed to get the 5:14 AM Amtrack train out of Philadelphia 30th Street Station.

As my roles and jobs changed over the years, with shorter commutes, my morning wake-up time did not.  I simply replaced the commute time with other activities.  Even more interesting, as I began working from home more often years ago, with a “down the hallway commute” many mornings, I am still up at 4 AM; it is a habitual routine!

In and of themselves, established habits and behaviors can be useful in the right context.  The key is self-awareness, periodically asking yourself, “why?”  Why do you possess certain habits, behaviors, and routines?  How did you develop them? Do they best serve you now?

Institutionally, a common practice is to set goals, monitor competitors, benchmark organizations that have attained top performance, adopt best practices, and innovate beyond the best to create a sustainable advantage.  In contrast, you were born with unique gifts and talents that must be cultivated to realize your purpose.

The context between institutional needs and your personal requirements could not be more different.  Ask yourself “why” often and adjust accordingly.