As I sat with my son's guidance counselor and teachers - I kept hearing the same thing over and over - He is a smart kid - but he is not working up to his potential. He is not getting bad grades but he is not getting great grades, which to me is bad grades. I sat there fuming, thinking of all kinds of nefarious punishments that would ensue when he got home. I mean how could he not perform at peak levels. He has all of the tools needed to excel. The latest technology, great support, and natural intelligence. What could be the problem, why is my son not working up to his potential. Why is he doing just enough to get by, when he has all of this talent and resources.

[callout]Then I realized -- I don't work up to my potential -[/callout]

I stay busy being busy - but not always productive. I am surrounded by the latest technology - but have yet to produce a 1/4 of what I have the capability to produce. I only make 1/4 of what I can make financially. I am only delivering on 1/4 of what I have to deliver. I have technology, an incredible support staff, and unbelievable natural talents, but only live up to 50% of my potential. I had no room to berate what he learned watching me.

Somewhere along the line - I was told I was different - Somewhere I was taught that just getting by was ok. Somewhere along the line I gave up. I decided to be a number 2- when i had the capacity to be number 1.

Does this sound like you? Are You operating at a standard that is lower than your expectation?

HELP!!!!
In order to combat this here are 5 principles that I believe will help turn this situation around.

1. Acknowledge.
   You first have to acknowledge that you have been coasting along - I know you work from sun up to sun down. but if you are like me - you are great at looking busy for the sake of looking busy -- if the truth be known. You could have finished that project in 30 minutes, not 30 days. That leads me to number 2.
2. Cut out the BS.
   BS is anything that hindering you from operating at peak levels. Is it your health - is it your time management - Is it your love of learning - Is it your ADD - Perhaps it is your fear of success. whatever it is grab a scalpel and CUT IT OUT>>> -- this is going to be hard - because it means facing up to a lot of things. I almost erased this whole section because it was pulling the covers off of me.
3. Be Responsible.
   With greatness comes great responsibility-- My booking manager said this to me the other day -- "It is not fair for you to have all of this ability and you keep it to yourself." What this means is - if you have the information, knowledge and/or talent - you are required to share it. It is your responsibility to make sure others can get where you are.
4. STOP! Stop second guessing yourself - stop procrastinating - stop perfecting - stop over-analyzing - stop playing around - stop justifying - stop being distracted - stop multi-tasking - stop beating yourself up - whatever it is just STOP STOP STOP - then see number 2.
5. WEP This is a 3 point process -- write the plan - execute quickly - perfect later --

Going forward - I pledge to do better - for me not only is my career at stake - but as you can see the career of my kids and their generation is at stake - All because I Won't Step Up! -- I think it is time - what about you?

[reminder]