I have to admit that is one of my favorite words and activities! Upgrade in my mind is a very good thing. It has meant different things to me over my life- the first I think regarding travel, or experiences- being upgraded to a better seat, or to VIP status, or to First Class (which used to happen more than it does these days). Then I heard one of my mentors start to use this word. He said always be looking to upgrade everything in your life. This to me meant not to be satisfied with the status quo- not to just take what you get, but to actually go out and create your own destiny. Upgrading can be huge leaps- like suddenly going from the middle seat at the back of the plan in coach class to first or business class. It can also be much more subtle and still pack a huge punch.
I was reminded of this word again while shopping at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago. A book called Upgrade by Rana Florida jumped off the shelf at me. Any book called Upgrade is a book I am going to buy and read, so I did.
What I love about this book is that the author has interviewed many highly successful people from all walks of life. I enjoy reading about other people’s journeys and she has captured a lot of really great life lessons from these people. There are many take aways for me, but one thing is popping out for me at this time and it is around delegation and upgrading.
This is what I make of it. One of things we really need to understand is the fact that we are making choices every day about how to spend our time. Some of us are spending it it consciously, and for others of us we are letting our days direct us. There is no doubt, we all have pretty full days with lots to do. Small tweaks to what you are doing are upgrades. Ask yourself these questions:
What am I currently doing that someone else could do? Even something small off from your plate leaves a little more room for what you love most. Delegation is key.
Where is trying to do everything yourself holding you back? I just listened to a recording (from the current issue of Success magazine) of Darren Hardy interviewing Cody Foster of Advisors Excel. His big aha came when he asked himself this question. What he discovered was that he was the bottleneck that stopped his business from moving forward. As soon as he delegated everything he could, and focused on his priorities and passions, his business growth zoomed.
What area/areas of my life could use an upgrade? Again, even just a bit. Small tweaks can add up to big results. Is it your schedule, is it the quality of your sleep, is it your level of learning or risk taking (another topic covered in the book Upgrade by Rana Florida), maybe it’s your wardrobe, your home, your prospecting, or time spent with friends. It could be any number of things. Make a list and ask what small adjustment am I willing to make to take that to the next level?
I think upgrading is fun. It is inspiring. It is energizing. Put some upgrading in motion in your life starting today and watch the transformation unfold.
Parting thought from Rana Florida on what to keep in mind when designing your time. She says there are only three things to do with your time:
1- Have fun
2-Be productive
3-Give back
Fill up those three buckets.
Let’s do it!