THE RAZOR'S EDGE

What separates the great from the excellent? How big is the difference between the winner and the also rans? Often it's tiny, no more than the thickness of a razor's edge......

I love this concept. I love the idea that the difference between mediocrity and excellence is definable and frequently not as wide as we think. But how come some people have it and others don't? What gives some that certain something that puts them above everyone else - be it at work, rest or play?

Anthony Robbins explores this concept and concludes that what makes the difference is time - quite simply the hours you put in. He talks about the concept of 10,000 hours to mastery, claiming that if you want to master any skill - be it a new sport or a foreign language, then that's the time commitment you're going to need to put in if you want to excel at it. Although that might sound daunting, think of it the other way around - if you put a lot of hours into something you will get very very good at it - no question.

Now how often do you say or hear others say that they don't have time? On a daily basis I'd say. Certainly in my surgeries I hear it at least ten times a day - but is it true? Do we really not have time, or could we use the time that we do have more effectively?

What really helps me is the thought that however great anyone is, they only ever have 24 hours in their day, the same as I do. I have the same time available as everyone else - what makes the difference is how I use it. How committed am I to really make something of my life? Committed enough to really look at how I use my time? Of course. Even the busiest people could use their time better - we can all do more with what we have by being smarter with our time.

Personally I'm a real morning person. I like to get into work very early and get things done in the quiet time before everyone else arrives and the soap opera that is my practice kicks off again! Maybe you spend a lot of time driving to and from work? Could you use that time more profitably - listening to self-development DVDs or podcasts? Maybe when you're in the gym - try giving Jeremy Kyle or Coronation Street a miss for once and listening to a bit of Wayne Dyer or Michael Neill?

If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting the same results. I don't know about you but I'm thinking maybe it's time for a change.
Michelle