Congratulations! You are the master. You’ve learned as much as you need to know.

If anyone tells you that you could be wrong, or less-than-perfect, don’t you listen to a word they say. Defend yourself and your abilities to the death, never give an inch and don’t take any criticism from anyone. Anyone who says differently is just an idiot themselves and should not be payed attention to.

What’s even better, is that there isn’t any room for improvement. Because you’ve learned all you need, you can’t possibly get any better, so congratulations, this is the top of the mountain. Just think how easy life will be now that you’ve completely closed the door to new information–I mean, why bother now that you have found the best way? No need to waste any more time on superfluous things like improvement when you are already there.

Most of you reading know this person I am referring to above. And if we’re all honest with ourselves, we were (or are) that person. The same one who always ends up in the same bad situation, and it’s always someone else’s fault. The same person who sees every defeat as bad luck.

Being defensive is a prison that we put ourselves in, and it robs us of any hope for improvement. What we don’t realize is that by negating criticism or even by trying to put the blame somewhere else, we are inferring that our end of the scenario was executed with perfection. This doesn’t mean we should dwell on the negative but we have to take it at face value and have an actual response instead of a reflex. One of the hardest things a person can do is look at themselves through a clear lens.

We are conditioned to respond in a reactive, defensive nature to any negative feedback. By doing this we close the door on progress. We close the door on being Better Every Day.

I have been guilty of this, probably more so than most. Always wanting to be the best at everything, even downplaying the accomplishments of others because I felt threatened by anyone with any ability in the same field (sports or business). Since this revelation I not only embrace the negative feedback, but I RELISH in it. Every time it happens I don’t see a failure; I see an opportunity. Realizing that every interaction has the potential to help you get better for the future, is the key to success in whatever you do. We are not the best, we don’t know everything, and that means we still have opportunity and growth waiting for us around every corner.

Better Every Day
-Max