A Better Version

“A year from today you’ll be one year older. The question I have for you is, ‘Will you be a better version of yourself?’”   This is the question a speaker asked the audience of a business conference many years ago.

She went on to challenge everyone – “Next year, same time: Will you be a better spouse? Will you be a better leader? Will you be a better owner or employee?  Will you be a better parent? Will you be in better health? Will you be a better person?”  

You get the picture.

It was and still is an excellent question. It challenges the fallback mentality of maintaining the status quo.  Staying the same.  Not possible.  If we are not deliberate in defining areas for growth, and goals for growth, we’ll likely fall into “coasting” mode – status quo.   And there is no coasting in life.  We’re either growing or dying, as a longtime friend often put it.

My wife and I were in attendance that day, and unbeknownst to the speaker, that question has continued to have a tremendous impact on my life. In many ways, it has been the driving factor behind our company’s mission – Building a better version…helping individuals and teams build better versions of themselves to present to their families, workplaces, and communities.  

Let’s start with the person in the mirror. In what ways can you challenge that person to be better? Start now by thinking about what’s important. Define that better version – one year from now – and start the journey.

Imagine if we all did this. If we all chose to challenge ourselves to become better versions…imagine the impact on our workplace, on our community, on our lives.

As Andy Stanley states in his Your Move podcast tagline, Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets.

A better version.