One of my fundamental convictions is that you have significant contributions to make. When you’re at your best, you make them. When you aren’t, you don’t. So I continue to press you to find your optimal best today, while using today’s best as a stepping stone for tomorrow’s best—more than it is today.

Too many times you fall into the belief of simply performing at your current level is enough for tomorrow. It’s not. And if you decide to remain the same, it’s hard to justify to your firm and to your clients you’re worth keeping around.

Every demonstration of competence today should drive you to a higher level of performance tomorrow. This is the pursuit of expertise. Otherwise you will stay where you are. And don’t compare yourself with those closest to you. So what if you’re the best in your department or your firm. You aren’t competing with them. You are competing with other firms locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Are you good enough compared to them?

Getting better professionally means you push yourself to grow:

• plan your jobs so you can delegate work that those your junior could do
• train people to do what they are unable to do because you haven’t shown them
• understand your clients enough to identify and solve other problems they have
• using your top 5 clients, identify other prospects like them and pursue them
• commit to assume a champion role in your firm to institute something that will make a difference

So, what problems is your firm and your clients facing that are unsolvable with your current level of thinking and performing? What contributions will make a difference? Whatever they are, I can promise you they aren’t simply doing what you’ve always done. It’s time to be serious and raise the bar on yourself.