Sometimes we focus so much on getting great at something that we miss the opportunity
we have to get better.
But getting better is the first step to getting great, and the best way I’ve found to get
better at anything is to follow this simple formula.
Step 1: Choose One Thing We all want to get better at lots of things,
but the first step to doing so is to focus on one.
Multitasking doesn’t accelerate improvement, it impedes it.
Give yourself permission to deal with the other stuff you want to improve at a later
date - your likelihood of success goes way up when you focus on one thing at a time.
Step 2: Clarify Your Motivation Do you know why you want to get better at
your one thing?
The better you understand your motivation, the greater your chance of success.
Clarifying your motivation before you begin also helps ensure you choose the right thing
to focus on.
Step 3: Define “Better” You can’t achieve a goal you haven’t clearly
defined.
“Better” is a tricky word.
It can mean different things at different times.
You need to define for yourself what it means in the context of your thing, so you can accurately
measure whether you accomplish it.
There’s no right or wrong definition of what better means, but if you don’t clearly
define it, it’s impossible to ever achieve it.
Consider what metrics or tangible evidence you can attach to it.
For example, what does it mean to be a “better” blogger?
Does it mean you post more frequently?
That more people share your posts?
That your posts inspire more debate?
It doesn’t matter what definition you choose, but in order to measure your progress you
must choose one.
Step 4: Do Your Thing At Least Three Times A Week
We only get better at things when we do them regularly.
You have to put in the work.
Improvement comes from action, not intention.
The more you do it, the better you’ll get.
But in almost all cases you have no chance of getting better at anything in a month unless
you commit to do it at least three times a week.
Step 5: Measure Your Results Since you defined metrics around what it means
to be “better” at your thing, you can now measure your progress as you go.
It’s important to not only measure your results, but also to analyze them.
The secret to getting better is found in what we learn from what we measure.
This varies widely depending on what your thing is, but your actions will result in
a set of impacts you need to study.
Learn from how people react to what you do, how you react to it, and figure out what works
and what doesn’t.
Step 6: Develop A Hypothesis As you measure the results of your activity
and analyze them, use that knowledge to form a hypothesis about how you can improve.
Improvement comes from making adjustments and those adjustments are inspired by a hypothesis
based on the results of the work you’ve done to this point.
It’s an iterative process - don’t feel pressured to know exactly how to improve your
work.
Remember, a hypothesis is just a theory.
That’s why the next step is…
Step 7: Test Your Hypothesis There’s as much chance your hypothesis of
how to get better is wrong as there is that it’s right.
That’s fine.
You’re in a testing phase and the valuable lessons you learn from being wrong help get
you closer to being right.
Don’t put too much pressure on your hypothesis to be right and don’t get discouraged if
it’s wrong.
Learn from it and use those findings to develop a new hypothesis to test again.
Each step - in success and failure - gets you closer to your goal of becoming better.
Even if it may not seem like it in the moment.
Step 8: Recognize That Better Isn’t Great As you go through the month - doing, measuring,
testing, and repeating - you may feel you’re not making progress, but it’s important
not to get discouraged.
Don’t confuse getting “better” with getting “great.”
The way to get great is to keep getting better.
And the way to get better is to do so one month at a time.
You’re not going to get great at anything in a month - that’s not the way the world
works.
But you 100% can get better at anything in a month.
And if you follow these steps, you will.