A frequent question I ask when trying to improve some area of my life is: If I were to rate this area's current performance on a scale of 1-10 Bernardo Silva Jersey , with 1 being the worst imaginable and 10 being the best imaginable, where am I right now?


Very often I find that areas get stuck somewhere in the 6-8 range, usually at a 7. A 7 seems very close to a 9 or 10, but often a 7 is a local maximum ? you can't get any higher by continuing to follow the same path that got you to that 7 in the first place. You're already at a peak. The only way to reach a true 9 or 10 is to climb back down (sometimes back to a 2 or 3) and take a new path.


How many times do people get stuck at a 7 and remain there for years? Is your job a 7? Your health? Your relationship? Your family life? Your self-esteem? Is it likely to improve much if you keep heading down the same path you've been on for the past year?


A 7 is pretty good. At this level you feel generally content. It's OK, fine Benjamin Mendy Jersey , acceptable, satisfactory.


A 7 is above average. Compared to most people, you'd say your 7 isn't bad at all. You feel like you're ahead of the pack.


People often get to a 7 and then coast for a long time. At a 2 or 3, you know something is very wrong, and you're probably driven to action. But a 7 is like a warm bath. It's cozy and non-threatening. You feel fairly safe at a 7.


So why are you stuck there? Are you waiting for everyone else to catch up?


Getting past a 7 is hard. It can take more effort to get past a 7 than it takes to reach a 7 in the first place. Some people would complain that it takes too long to get past a 7. But the truth is that the time is going to pass anyway. Even if it takes 5-10 years Bacary Sagna Jersey , you might as well get yourself to a higher level within that time, since the years are going to pass anyway.


Whenever I feel I've gotten stuck at a 7, I stop and ask myself: What would a 10 look like?


It's a simple question, but forcing myself to list the specific factors that would be part of a 10 and which differentiate a 10 from an 8 or 9 helps me get clear about my definition of the best.


Then I can start setting some clear goals to get me moving in that direction.


You might be able to go from a 6 to a 7 in a week or a month, perhaps even a day with conscious effort. A few tweaks here and there Angus Gunn Jersey , and you've got it. But to go from a 7 to an 8 might take a year or two. 7 doesn't always connect with 8. You might have to take a path like 7-6-4-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-6-7-8 to get there.


Sometimes getting to an 8+ requires a career change (it did for me). Or it may require a relationship change, a diet change, a location change, or re-education.


Escape the trap of 7


Don't let yourself get stuck in the trap of 7. Define your 10 in writing, and ask yourself if you can transition smoothly from your 7 to that 10. Maybe you're already on the right path and can see the trail ahead of you with great clarity. But for most people this isn't the case. The path to a 10 may lead through the darkness of 2 or 3 Aleksandar Kolarov Jersey , maybe even 1. But you will eventually get through it and re-emerge on a new path. And even if the very next path you try doesn't reach a 10, you're still better off trying any other path than the one that dead-ends at 7.


However, some people become overly attached to their 7s. You may be afraid you won't be able to get to an 8 or 9 or 10 even if you try. What if you go for it, and the best you ever see again is a 5? Wouldn't that be foolish? A bird in the hand?.


Guess what? You could be right. I don't know your situation, so I have to imagine that it's entirely possible that if you leave behind your 7 Aleix Garcia Jersey , you may never reach that level again. You could drop down to 3 or 4 and get stuck there and never rebound. You might quit your job and never find another career as good as the one you left. Maybe there are unseen factors you aren't aware of. It's a risk.


What I can tell you though is what lies on the other side once you've left behind a 7. I've done it enough times to feel pretty comfortable describing what you're likely to find.


There is no 7


What you'll find when you leave the comfort of your 7 and go chasing after that 10 is that your 7 was never a 7. It was only a 3.


If you think you're at a 7, you're really at a 3 maximum. The 10 is way, way out there. You think you can see it, but your definition of a 10 is based on your experience of a 7, and you can't even see a real 10 when you're standing at 7. It's beyond your ability to fathom.


If you were to go out and find someone who's actually at a 10 in your area and asked them how you were doing on a scale of 1 to 10 Customized Manchester City Jersey , they'd be able to label your 7 accurately as a 3. How would an Olympic gymnast rate your current diet and exercise habits? Are you really at 70% of their level? Ask a couple that seems to be googly in love with each other how they'd rate your relationship? Ask the most motivated, successful person you know how they'd rate your career? Is your 7 really a 7? Or is it a 3?


A perpetual 7 is a clue that the whole path is wrong


A second discovery I've had is that when you're stuck at a 7, you're using the wrong type of rating criteria anyway. You're rating your current status, your location on the path. What you should be rating is the path itself.


What is your path right now? How clear is it? Where will it take you in 5-10 years? How would you rate the path itself if you were to view it outside of time?


For example, in observing your health status Cheap Manchester City Jerseys , rate the path you're on. Is your health declining or improving? Are your diet and exercise habits making you stronger and fitter and more resistant to disease, or are you becoming weaker and sicker? What path are you on?


When you think about what path you're on, rather than just your current position, you'll become much more aware of where you really are on a scale of 1-10. Life is a journey, not a d

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