There is one goal in business that supersedes all others – to be better. Better than you were before, better than the other companies, and better than the expectations of customers. The surest way to success is to pursue and achieve excellence. However, once achieved, excellence is not something that stays achieved. The biggest hurdle to get over as a business owner is the recognition that when you’ve done something remarkable, you still need to get up tomorrow and keep delivering.
Complacency is the enemy of successful businesses. Whether it’s the first round of venture capital funding, the first yearly accounts that show a profit, or the first time you become the market leader in your sector, it is easy and tempting to rest on your laurels. And you certainly shouldn’t shy away from toasting your success – future achievement isn’t the great attraction it should be if you don’t enjoy success in the present. But there are many reasons why excellence needs to be a process rather than just a milestone.
You’ve set a standard
Reaching a milestone in business may seem like a good moment to relax, but in truth it is more like the time to lock in your gains. Time moves forward, and businesses have to move with it. Success is a sign of two things – that you should keep doing the things that have brought you success, and that you can do even better if you improve in your areas of weakness.
If your sales force has hit it out of the park this year, then think how much better they could be doing if you work with a GA4 consultant to identify areas where you could be capturing more leads. None of this means you can’t be proud of what has been done; just that you want to enjoy that feeling more often.
You’re there to be shot at
Achieving your goals is a great way to get noticed, and this makes it all the more important to realize that it won’t just be well-wishers who are noticing you. There will be competitors out there who suddenly want to do better than you are doing, and this can mean that they are looking for margins where you can be challenged. When a pro tennis player wins a major tournament, the other players will be watching their game, looking for weaknesses in it. They will also be looking for ways to copy what the leader is doing. Similarly, you can’t keep serving up exactly the same thing – if you don’t keep moving, you will be caught.
You’ve proven your instincts are on pointPerhaps more importantly than either of the other reasons excellence needs to become a habit, once you’ve achieved something remarkable it is the proof of your instincts. Climbing to the top doesn’t happen overnight or by luck, it is the initial culmination of hard work and intelligence. Now is the time to trust that intelligence and work on your next big thing. Look to collaborate with experts and bring on board new talent, and this will be the lifeblood of your ongoing success.
