Improving
Last Friday I was an avid Twitter follower as I was tracking the signing of free agent baseball star Robinson Cano by my team, the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners reached an agreement with the now former New York Yankee on a 10-year, $240M contract. The Mariners have been a struggling franchise and this is seen as a way to improve dramatically and become relevant again. On Facebook, I got into a good-natured debate with friends over the efficacy of the signing. They were bemoaning that it wouldn’t help as as much if we don’t get more help; the money could have been used to get more players; and that in the latter years of the contract, Cano would not be as productive.
To me, that’s not looking at the most important factor. In this one day, the Mariners became better that they were the day before. By adding one of the best players in the game, they immediately improved.
We need to do the same in our world. We need to be better today than we were yesterday. Better tomorrow than today. Standing still or declining is a sure way to failure. The theory is sound, but how do you know you’re improving? There are many ways to improve personally and professionally – What are you reading? Who are you listening to? What skill is being heightened? What bad habit or behavior is eliminated. How can you tell?
As we begin to had into a new calendar year, it’s a great time to assess yourself. Set goals that advance your life, set measures of success to assure you are staying on track, and simply try to get better every day. If you keep doing that, you’re sure to hit a home run.
© 2013 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
This week’s quote –
~ Alan Weiss
