The Best Version

 There has been a lot of talk about goals and goal setting at my job lately. The field I work in is substantially self-propelled and self-supported, with an incredible degree of freedom and individual potential. However, with that comes an equally incredible potential for failure, so as an office we spend a lot of time setting, measuring, and reviewing goals. You may be surprised to find that many of these goals have absolutely nothing to do with work, at least not directly. Our management team is very aware of and involved with the lives of their teams. The environment is one that promotes everyones well-being in and outside of work.

My team is a pretty close-knit group and our manager is a fantastic leader, a very important thing with the job being as stressful and burn out inducing as it can be at times. We do our best to support each other as well as hold each other accountable to the goals we set for ourselves. It’s a good system.

Recently I talked with one of my coworkers about recent performance and satisfaction with where we were both at in our careers. Sometimes it feels like I should be achieving much more for the amount of work and effort I put in. The stress had been starting to get to me for a while and I really just needed to catch a good break. Both of us have always tended to be in the middle of the pack when it comes to performance. She has about two years on me and a lot more experience so it’s always good to get her input when I’m in a rough patch.

We have both watched as people who started around the same time as us have taken off and become massively successful, seemingly overnight. We have also watched a far greater number crash and burn. It’s been somewhat frustrating for both of us when days and weeks fall apart for us while some of those around us seem to never struggle, so we push each other to put in the time and the work more consistently and effectively.

When we were talking about where the both of us are compared to where we want to be, my coworker suggested a few books and podcasts to check out, The Mindset Mentor, and Atomic Habits being among them. She also posed an interesting question to me.

“When you think about the best version of you, what does that look like?”

I hadn’t really given a whole lot of thought to that before, not as it related to work at least. I’d thought plenty about my goals and what I wanted to achieve, but not as much about the habits and behaviors that encapsulate those goals. Obviously I’ve thought about the habits and actions I need to take to hit my goals, and I take action towards those goals every day. I just hadn’t given much thought to it in that light. What habits and behaviors do I want to commit to that are reflected by the achievement of those goals?

She gave me her example and I thought about my answer for a while. Based on my goals I decided that the best version of me had to get up earlier, be more active, stay focused longer, and be more consistent with the actions I’m already taking. The two of us committed to changing one of our habits to match what the best version of ourselves looked like, and for me that habit was to wake up by no later than 7:00 every day, even on weekends, and to get my mind working.

My word of the year this year is Expand. I want to expand my opportunities, my abilities, and my outlook. That word requires me to create some better habits and to stick to them. Sometimes the goals we hold for ourselves are only attainable one habit at a time.

What does the best version of yourself look like? What habits are you going to commit to to be that person?

- ST