By: Ken Austin
When is "good enough" not GOOD ENOUGH? When there is something better. If you have fallen into this trap you'd better get out quickly.
Let's say you're the top sales-person in the office, you're aiming to become sales manager in the next couple of months - you're outselling your colleagues two to one. The promotion is in the bag. You believe that you can take your foot off the pedal and cruise effortlessly towards your goal.
WRONG!
Complacency is very dangerous... you must recognise the signs early and combat it immediately.
A complacent Country can lose a war before they even know it has begun.
A complacent company can lose market share to a minor competitor.
A complacent husband can lose his wife before he realises there are relationship problems.
A complacent boxer can lose his title in the opening round to an unranked competitor.
Ask yourself:
Do you feel self-satisfied?
Do you find it hard to acknowledge your mistakes?
Do you find it difficult to accept constructive criticism?
Do you fail to see difficulties in your personal life?
Do you believe that minimal effort "will do"?
These are some of the symptoms of becoming complacent. Complacency is caused when you become too comfortable, lose motivation and don't believe that you need to put in any extra effort. If you recognise any of these symptoms in yourself it is important to rectify the situation. Becoming complacent will NOT lead to your success.
What can you do to overcome complacency?
To overcome complacency, you must realise that good enough is NOT going to lead to success. It is only when you do your absolute best that you can say, "I gave it my best shot."
If we go back to the example of the boxer, we can see why it is important not to become complacent. The champion boxer believed that he did not have to put all of his effort into training before the fight. He believed that he was good enough to beat his competitor. His competitor on the other hand realised that HE was not good enough, and that he had to put all of his effort into training... that he must give everything he has got. He must put every single ounce of energy into the fight because this could be his only chance to win the title.
You must never assume that there is no room for improvement, if you always strive to improve then you leave no room in your life for complacency. If you find your faults and deal with them, you will always aim to be a better person. Do not make excuses if you fail. Do not ask yourself "why?" It is usually followed with an excuse. Instead, ask yourself "how did it happen?" and "what can I do to rectify the situation?" By learning from your mistakes you will be able to grow.
When you eliminate complacency and make a positive effort to continually improve yourself, you will find that success is far easier to achieve.
