On Peak Performance 3

Fragments from imaginary dialogues

“One of my favorite mental models was inspired by one of my favorite books: The One Thing, by Gary Keller.

I called the model One Thing.

I like to express the model as a template [<link; medium read]:

MIx (Most Important x)

MIT (Most Important Thing)
MIQ (Most Important Question)
MIP (Most Important Practice)
MIG (Most Important Goal)
MIR (Most Important Relationship)
MIV (Most Important Value)
…

MIT (Most Important Thing)

This is the main idea in Gary Keller’s book. For maximum efficiency, you need to focus your efforts on one thing at a time. This applies to both the macro and the micro level.

In Gary Keller’s words:

Time and energy are limited. For maximum output, it takes subtraction not addition. You need to be doing fewer things for more effect. 

[…]

Success is built sequentially, one thing at a time.

MIQ (Most Important Question)

The same thing applies to questions as well. For maximum efficiency, you need to focus on one major question at a time.”

“Reminds me of a quote by Karl Popper:

The best thing that can happen to a human being is to find a problem, to fall in love with that problem, and to live trying to solve that problem, unless another problem even more lovable appears.

“

“I love that quote.

MIP (Most Important Practice)

I also find it useful to gain clarity on what the most important practice is. The practice that impacts all other practices. The default practice I can automatically turn to whenever my skies are cloudy and I cannot think clearly.”

“What is the most important practice for you?”

“You may recall, we’ve spoken a while ago [<link; medium read] about Alan Watkins’s model of peak performance. 

Thinking
Feeling
Emotions
Physiology

The idea that, in order to be brilliant every single day, not just once in a while, you need to address all levels of the pyramid.

I’ve been playing a lot with the model, to integrate in my own practice. The latest iteration looks like this:

My Peak Performance Map

My most important practice is Presence.

Presence is an essential aspect of my most important goal, which is to have a Beautiful Body/Heart/Mind. This is my vision of Self-Mastery. Endlessly perfecting my capacity to move, feel, and think.

Expressed as archetypal identity-models, I strive to become a Warrior/Saint/Sage.”

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