Your investment level should determine your expectation level. I think this applies to so many things, both in personal life and in professional life.
Recently, I completed an eight-mile run around Mackinac Island for the first time in 15 years. I used to go up there with my wife and friends when our kids were small. We did that run four years in a row, the last time being 15 years ago.
I stopped running long distances when I got into CrossFit about 12 years ago. I did intervals and short runs, but nothing long. Over time, I got too far away from distance running. I hadn’t even done a 5K in years.
Then, last year over the holidays, I was talking with the same group of friends. We said, “Let’s do this again. Let’s sign up.” I knew I had to prepare. I couldn’t just show up and run eight miles — at least not now, not at my age — without training and putting in the work.
I invested in the process. I trained throughout the year and slowly built up my long runs. I also tried to stay healthy and not overdo it. There were setbacks along the way, just like in anything else, but I stayed consistent. I made the investment. And a few weeks ago, I completed the run.
I didn’t break any speed records, and I wasn’t trying to. But I finished. I made it around the island. And then I enjoyed a fun day with friends.
This applies to work, too. If you want a promotion, a higher income, more responsibility or more opportunity, what’s your investment level? What are you doing to earn those things?
You can’t just sit back and say, “I want, I want.” Goal setting isn’t just writing it down and saying it out loud. It’s about action. It’s about asking, “What am I doing to earn it?”
In my own career, when I wanted to become president of Service Express, I was told, “If you want to be president, go act like one.” I wasn’t given the title or the role, but I was given the opportunity, and I made the investment. I stepped up and acted how I believed a president should act. Later, the title and role came.
What are your goals? What are you striving to do? Ask yourself if your investment level matches your expectation level.
