What is Performance?
(fyi: originally posted on my weblog...)
I am speaking and consulting more and more on an important topic:
"Perform at (your) 100%"
I believe this goes beyond business, life, sport, relationships and more...
The idea came to me accidentally, several years ago. In order to present a workshop for the senior management of a Fortune 500 company, I had to drive 344 miles unexpectedly. My travel day (the day before) consisted of me flying from Los Angeles to Chicago, then from Chicago to Cleveland.
Arriving late in Chicago, I had missed the original connecting flight. So, I began the wait for the next one. At 11:15pm that night, all flights out of Chicago were canceled.
So, I did what (I would think) any expert consultant would do: I called a rental car company, and started driving east.
With the one hour time change (between central and eastern), the drive took just over 5 hours. Just enough time to check into the hotel, take a 45 minute nap, shower and drive to the client site.
When the on-site coordinator realized what I had done, she asked if I wanted to postpone the workshop. "No," I replied. "I promised I'd be here, and I'll give you my 100%."
Now, was I as "good" that day, as I could have been? Was as "on" as I would have been with a full night of sleep? The answers to those questions are subjective at best. Here's the objective truth: As a result of that presentation, the client hired me back to present several seminars over the next year.
I learned something that week. My 100% is all I can give. Performing at this level requires focus, dedication and purpose; I had all three of those going for me the night I drive to Cleveland.
I'll be writing a lot more, on my blog and in published articles, on this topic. In the meantime, consider for your own self: "What would performing at my 100% look like right now?"
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Comments (4)
as an addendum, my experience tells me that there might not be any such thing as a percentage over 100%. by this i mean that as soon as one begins "overperforming", one finds oneself on the downhill side of that parabola.
there's something to be said for pushing (and thereby expanding) one's limits, but there's also something to be said for knowing one's limits.
GREAT post, Jason!
Comment #1 Posted by: evan | March 27, 2007 01:43 PM
Evan,
Thanks for the note... and, I think I agree. When someone says, "You have to give 110%" I wonder what they mean...
Now, if you want to get VERY technical, you "could" get a heart rate monitor and input your age/weight/etc information.
While exercising, based on the mathematics and physiological records people have tracked, you can actually track at what percentage of your heart rate you're working at.
Now, I've been "close" to 100% (I mean REAL CLOSE!), but I've never gotten above 100%.
So, in my work these days, I'm writing and speaking about performing at (your) 100%.
Here's the kicker, your 100% today won't be the same tomorrow! I've found that I can be on one day, and off the next; or, off one day and on the next! However, it's what I'm doing WHILE I'm doing it.
Can I end the writing of this reply and say, "Yes, I gave it all the attention and focus and energy possible." ?
Make sense???
Comment #2 Posted by: Jason | March 27, 2007 05:03 PM
Thoughtful observations from a natural born leader and gifted teacher -- who has also devoted 100% to teaching many young students in Ojai. 100% of Jason Womack is wonderful to behold. Thank you.
Comment #3 Posted by: Rae Hanstad | March 27, 2007 05:54 PM
i know this is way past the front page, but in case anyone (particularly Jason) still checks in on this, here's something intriguing:
100% button
Comment #4 Posted by: evan | April 6, 2007 05:04 PM