I was asked by my son, “Dad, would you rather have a great start or a great finish?”
My answer: “Great Finish… 100%… ALWAYS!”
This was one of the easiest questions for me to answer.
But why?
Getting off to a great start is easy. In the case of the track race, which prompted my son’s question, the racers are super excited, filled with adrenaline, and thinking they will win, as they’re all crowded together at the starting line.
Why is this?
Because standing at the starting line with hopes and dreams requires no effort.
It’s on that second lap when you’ve fallen behind and your legs are burning, your stomach is cramping, the air in your lungs is disappearing and negative self-talk is flooding into your brain when you find out what you’re made of.
Anybody can start something, but very few can consistently finish.
High performers in any field are obsessed with FINISHING!
Starters will put in the work to get that water up over 100 degrees quickly, but it’s the finishers who keep stoking the fire, regardless of how difficult it may be until it reaches 212 degrees.
Want to be a high performer? (I hope you said Yes!).
When you’re tackling a difficult task, or in the middle of something tedious that doesn’t seem to be getting the results you want, keep your perseverance up.
No matter what job we do or the field we’re in, we all face difficulties that can bog us down and tank our motivation.
In insurance sales, it could be making calls to a list of leads (with no answers).
Or, studying for a certification or exam.
Or, maybe it’s entering notes tediously into the system.
These may not be the most enjoyable tasks. But all small tasks are often very beneficial to the long game.
Keep up that perseverance. Be a great finisher. It’s a dignified quality and will lead you to become the high performer you know you can be.
