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What is Optimum Performance?

What is optimum performance? This question raises different responses from different people. It causes people to ponder issues like:

  • How much better you could be doing in your business?
  • How about your career?
  • What about your relationship with someone you love?
  • How about the state of your health right now?

One or more of these areas most often needs a little more attention in day-to-day life. But there seems to be so much to do, so much to accomplish if ‘more’ is the focus.

Here’s a secret: the quest for more is a trap. It never stops. But the positive side is this: Optimum performance is about playing life at the highest possible level, reaching our fullest potential.

Now the question is: if people are so full of potential, though, why are most not living up to their potential in every area of life? For some very good reasons that make perfect sense, take a look at desire, passion and fun.

DESIRE, PASSION & FUN

Do you remember when you were a kid and all you wanted to do was play? What was one thing you loved to do that you could do for hours and never want to stop? Then ask yourself why.

For most, it was probably because it was fun and exciting, and you felt good doing it. It made you happy and you never wanted to stop doing it until you dropped.

Of course, who couldn’t get hurt running, playing and challenging life once in awhile? But the reward of having fun, feeling free and the sense of accomplishment was worth the price. Youth are born natural risk takers.

But later on what happens? And why is it relevant to optimum performance?

Well, part of the reason you enjoyed what you did was the ‘positive feedback’ you received from others. The other more important part is because it was what you wanted to do. It didn’t really matter how ‘good’ you were. The ‘how good’ was secondary to just having fun.

It was the times you chose to do what you wanted that was the most fun and exhilarating. It wasn’t when someone else said you needed to do or should do something.

Optimum performance can only truly be achieved when ‘all of you’ is in the game. And life is just a game. You loved playing as a kid and it’s time to start playing again.

Just going through the motions in your relationship is so mediocre and not fun. Working in a job or career that you tolerate is not fun. Not earning the income you want is not fun. Not having the energy or health you want is not fun.

What’s NOT FUN in your life right now?

So the real question you are now faced with is this… do you want to have fun again? Do you want to play?

How great would the results be in each area of your life if it were fun again? Well it can be…and will be!

Do not confuse having fun with not putting in effort. You will achieve results in every area of your life in direct proportion to the effectiveness of the effort you put in, not the effort. Do not confuse activity with results.

In the coming months my focus will be to help you think about why you are getting the current results in your life right now and how to significantly enjoy yourself more, so that the results are the by-product of having fun and doing what you love and want to do.

The game of life is about choosing what you really want. The real trick in having more is in becoming more and having fun. It is natural to grow and become more, when we do what we love and what we want.

Optimum performance is about doing the ‘right things’ really well.

23 Responses to “What is Optimum Performance?”

  1. Positively Radiant
    1

    Greetings John,

    It is always a pleasure to read your blogs. Never a sales pitch, always a thought provoking comment!

    Regards,

    Lori

  2. Dana Detrick-Clark
    2

    Another great post!

    With myself, the archetype for “work” in my brain was definitely not “fun”! when I was growing up, I definitely didn’t see adults around me who had positivity towards what they were doing, and I came to expect the ‘fun’ to end when I was an adult. It’s so great to rediscover my bliss within my work!

  3. drjkell2
    3

    Hi John, Great post. My question is how do you change it when you realize that your job is not your passion and you aren’t having any fun??

  4. Nancy Norgaard
    4

    Joh,
    Why do you have such great common sense? I really look forward to your blogs. They are always full of wisdom and good common sense.
    Thank you,
    Nancy

  5. VPSean
    5

    Fantastic Blog John! Thanks for the insight. You Rock!

  6. Barbara Spriggs
    6

    I love to read your articles because they are inspiring and to the point. Always what I need in my life each day. Keep up the good work

  7. Graeme
    7

    Thank you for these important distinctions John. –
    becoming more rather than striving for more,and seeing life as a game where hard work becomes fun –
    this mindset is guaranteed to optimize anyone’s performance.

    Graeme

  8. John Brooks
    8

    Thaks for the timely reminder that work is fun if you can learn to see the fun side to it. Quit striving and have fun.

  9. Joe Delaney
    9

    Dear John,
    I look around me and see that most of the people I come into contact are ‘miserably happy’. It is clear to see that they are pretending to be enjoying life when in truth they are deperately sad and lonely within. I feel that you’re helpful comments and advice could certainly help many of them to reconnect with their inner smile. Thanks very much for sharing your insights!

  10. Daniel
    10

    I couldn’t understand some parts of this article o.us poetry, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

  11. Maria E. Dodge
    11

    Hi John, I agree with you. You should do what your passion is but what about when your passion doesn’t pay as good as you deserve? I mean, your passion doesn’t pay you to cover all your debts… That’s my case….Thank you

  12. Karen
    12

    John, I think there are 2 powerful points in your message: one is to ‘love what you do and do what you love’ and the other is to not ‘confuse activity with results’.

    I’ve wasted a lot of time putting activity into work, etc. that I did not love or even ‘like’ and then being disappointed by the results.

    It’s hard to make the paradigm shift from the perspective that work and play are 2 different things. I don’t think we can ever be truly successful until we are able to blend the two.
    Karen

  13. Melinda B.
    13

    Very interesting, I need to look at what I do for fun and what I do for work. I hope the are close to the same. Thank you.

  14. john assaraf
    14

    I love your responses so keep them coming_ I read them every day even thoiugh I cannot reply to all of them. I would also love if you helped me make this blog bigger by sharing it with your friends.

  15. Arezoo
    15

    hi john
    how are you?i live in iran . you lovely..
    being happy..

  16. Leah
    16

    This is an amazing blog! you are absolutely right. When we’re having fun, it doesn’t feel like work at all and so you perform better. And because of that, you can excellent results. Thanks for sharing your thoughts :-)

  17. Guadalupe
    17

    Thank you for your articles, they are very interesting. Specially, when I can do the best of me as a game. Thank for sharing your knowledge. Greetings from Mexico City.

  18. Karin Hiebert
    18

    I have recently learned that even with devasting post traumatic stress disorder, when the intrusion of flashbacks begin, than by thought stopping thought, shiftin that one can actually “change their mind” simply by “changing or stopping a negative thought from overcoming your entire life and being. It is first important to become aware of ones feeling which stir up just prior to the thought. Or becoming aware of the thought by the way you are feeling…then you can change your thoughts, which in essense is changing your mind!
    Great blog John, always interesting and your friend “Karin Hiebert” will keep returning to this blog and keep on refferring this interesting and informative area for people to visit and learn!
    Thank you for giving us this info and opportuntity to respond!

  19. EDGAR S. RULONA
    19

    Thank you John. Your points are great enligtening insights. I’m a government employee here in the Philippines and is planning to put up a business upon retirement maybe after 5 yrs. Which business to enter is what I’m wondering with our piling debts and our meager resources.

  20. Karin Hiebert
    20

    I may be able to help you in achieving your goals…I study john asseraf, and a few other “big boys in the industry…you can watch the full version of the secret at my myspace if you would like!!
    get in touch with me, I have the time energy, goal and purpose to help others…out of caring…

  21. Joel Symmes
    21

    Fun is under-rated! If we, as adults, could approach our circumstances as “fun” rather than responsibiltiy, perhaps just the mere attitude shift would render different results.

  22. michaldover
    22

    I love your work.
    Thnx for inspiring me today!

  23. Tristan Loo
    23

    A fantastic new blog John. I’ve been following your work for some time and you’ve have quite an impact on my own teachings. Passion, desire, fun….I agree…these are all components of optimum performance!

    With Passion and Purpose,

    Tristan Loo

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