18
A question from someone who thinks they might be third-rate: How can they become first-rate?
That's the most noble question.
Because...
Those who decide to aim for first-rate are stronger than those who are already first-rate.
Conrad Hilton and
Paul Rasch have the same essential advice for those who are moving from third-rate to first-rate.
It's not about talent.
It's about method.
Start by "seeing reality accurately."
Hilton said,
"The first condition for becoming first-rate is to know accurately that you are not yet first-rate."
Stop making excuses.
Don't blame your environment.
Don't blame others.
Quietly ask yourself:
Are you keeping your promises?
Are you being punctual?
Are you slacking off in places we don't see?
Becoming first-rate starts with these questions.
Always keep small promises.
Rush has observed many young people in Japan.
He found that those who grow have something in common.
That is --
Keeping small promises
Arriving five minutes early
Finishing requested tasks accurately
Never lying
That's all there is to it.
However, few people can do this consistently.
That's why those who do it consistently are sure to rise to the top.
Trust can only be born from small promises.
Change the "invisible work."
Hilton said,
"People do good work in public."
"First-rate people do good work out of sight."
For example,
Arranging a desk when no one is watching.
Making preparations that no one appreciates.
Making improvements that no one notices.
That's where a person's true standards will emerge.
And those standards will inevitably be revealed to the public.
It's just a matter of time.
Raise your "standards," not your speed.
Third-rate people want fast results.
Second-rate people want results.
First-rate people want standards.
Rush said,
"Results are the shadow of the standard."
If your standards are raised,
the results will surely follow.
The reverse is not true.
Surround yourself with first-class people.
This is the most powerful method.
Hilton himself,
spent time alongside first-class people.
When you're around first-class people,
you can learn from everything:
words, judgments, standards, and silence.
Your environment shapes you.
Live by first-class standards, just for today.
Rush left behind some of the most practical advice.
"You don't have to try to be first-class for the rest of your life."
"Just be first-class today."
Don't worry about tomorrow.
Today,
Be honest, be polite, keep your promises, and don't cut corners.
That's all you need.
And then repeat that tomorrow.
The accumulation of these actions
transforms you into first-class.
Finally, Hilton quietly said:
"The difference between third-rate and first-class isn't ability."
"It's the standards you tolerate."
Rush continued.
"The moment you raise your standards, your life has already begun to change."
Excellence isn't a destination.
Excellence is a decision about the standards by which you will live today.
