I recently posted a question on Facebook asking is “anybody out there feeling like you have so much to do and too little time to get it done?” It was not surprising that many people responded saying “yes,” “me,” and “all the time.”

A few even commented using the raised hand emoji. I can relate.

There was time I felt I would never, ever … never, ever … never, ever complete all of the items on my to-do list.

The projects continued to pile up. Requests for meetings were perpetual. Expectations were coming from every angle.

I was exhausted. Even today, it can be exasperating just thinking about the demands of my past.

One day I started reading about successful people and success habits. Early on, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey made a profound impression on me. To this day, I quote my favorite phrases from this book when coaching or mentoring others.

I had not focused much on those concepts in recent years, yet on this particular day I was feeling like something needed to give or something needed to change. After reading some articles on success habits, I realized it was not an either/ or situation. Something definitely needed to change.

For starters, how I approached my responsibilities and priorities.

Reading about success habits, I noticed the phrase “high performers” came up frequently. It typically refers to people who succeed more than others or even those who consistently have high quality output. It is recognition of an outward competition.

I no longer subscribe to the idea that I need to outdo others. My goal is simply to make my best contribution today and to do better tomorrow.

It is all about my personal best. Not much else matters.

Putting the nature of competition aside, I realized how much I could learn by studying the characteristics of high performers. I also realized how much I could gain by applying these concepts to my life. The way I approach work today is significantly better than my past practices.

And it all began with a mental shift.

For those of you ready to make a change, here are some pointers on how to think like a high performer.

Think positive. Believing in yourself and your abilities is the first element of high performance thinking. A positive mindset boosts your confidence and helps you see possibilities. A positive mindset also makes you feel better and puts you in a good mood.

Think about what is most important. It is easy to fill our to-do list with projects and tasks. In the process, it is also easy to bypass processing how important these things are to you, your team and your mission. You should have a clear “why” for everything you do and understand the clear benefits for devoting your time to it.

Think about your sweet spot. Let’s face it. You have certain strengths and passions that drive your performance. If there is something on your to-do list that falls outside of your sweet spot, you should delegate it to someone else.

Think about the finish line. There is power in seeing the end result long before you experience it. This form of visualization motivates you to keep going. You gain momentum and build excitement with each milestone you accomplish knowing they all add up to a bigger achievement.

What is your definition of high performance? Share your comments below. I’d love to hear from you.

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