Are you still relying on your past wins to propel you toward next goals?
I get you.
When we coach, we also help our clients recognize their past wins so they can leverage on their strengths to address their present challenge or goal. But it doesn’t stop there. As a kid, I’ve been exposed to the belief of not resting on your laurels, or simply put, not relying on previous successes to create future success.
Sure, you might have had your big breakthrough when you broke a record in your sport, or led a successful transformation program in your previous role. But if you’re still talking about the same success, 5 or 10 years later, people are going to think…
Doesn’t he have anything new to talk about?
I wonder what other breakthroughs she achieved in the past 5 years?
When I transitioned from corporate leader to full time Coach and Consultant nine years ago, that was my big breakthrough, my breaking news, and one might even say, the unique value proposition I have as a Coach. But I have moved on since then, because I know that breakthroughs and wins are mere snapshots at a point in time. What sets apart successful people is their ability to pivot, shift gears, change lanes and level up.
Here are some ways you can leverage your success for your benefit, and not turn it into a blindspot that will keep you stuck.
Progressive Overload
As a semi-newbie in fitness back in 2024, I was introduced to the term, progressive overload. It means gradually increasing the stress placed on your body during exercise. This means continuing to increase the weight, the repetitions, the sets, or the time under tension.
I realized that this principle also applies in life. As kids, our lessons and exams became even more difficult as we progressed to higher levels. In life, we encounter more complexities as we enter adulthood, parenting and old age. We’re also given more responsibilities when we are promoted and take on higher positions.
Setting aside titles and levels, have you ever asked yourself, “Am I in a better position now than I was a year ago in terms of ______ (finances, health, career, family, spirituality, etc)?”
Constantly challenging yourself to do better does not mean you’re not content with what you have. It just means you acknowledge that you are an amazing human being capable of learning new things and doing greater things, no matter your age or situation.
Confidence Not Complacency
Past successes can shatter old limiting beliefs and replace them with more powerful ones like,
“This is how I get results.”
“I am capable of doing hard things.”
“This is what works for me.”
Over time, these beliefs become a part of us. These make us increase our self-confidence as well as our self-worth. But overrelying on these can also make us more complacent. Because we are aware of our capability, we sometimes tend to run our lives on autopilot mode and just go with the flow, without any intention.
There’s nothing wrong with being steady in life, as we all move at a different pace. But it becomes a blindspot when we find ourselves using it as an excuse for not trying to do better even when we know we can.
This was what happened to me a couple of years ago. I had a thriving career, a happy family and I wasn’t getting sick. I was obese then, but hid under the excuse that nobody really cares about how I look as long as I did my job well. It took me several micro incidents to realize that it’s not really about how I look. Deep inside me, I felt sluggish and doubtful. I felt bad when I couldn’t run to help my son practice football. I feared getting sick and being unable to do the work I love and be with the people I love. This was when I realized that using success in other areas to overrationalize my inaction and complacency in other areas was not really doing me any good.
New Level = New Version
“One of the greatest mistakes of successful people is the assumption, ‘I behave this way, and I achieve results. Therefore, I must be achieving results because I behave this way’.” – Marshall Goldsmith
Every time I feel a tinge of laziness or the urge to settle for mediocrity, I remind myself of Marshall Goldsmith’s book, “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There.” The title alone is a good enough reminder for me to get moving. I have proven this to be true many times.
What worked in promoting my coaching workshop launch, may not work as effectively in my upcoming “Future-Ready Leaders” program launch.
What got me promoted and noticed when I was working in the corporate world, won’t get me noticed and hired as a Coach these days.
What helped me get a 7-figure revenue won’t get me to an 8-figure revenue.
While it’s true that you shouldn’t fix what is not broken, it is also true that our world and we ourselves are continuously evolving. In short, the circumstances you had before when you achieved your wins are different from your current state. Thus, your next level goals and successes also require a next level version of yourself. Who do you need to be to make it happen?
The Takeaway: Succeed, but don’t be Stuck
When I was in High School, I was invited to speak to 6th graders of our school to help them prepare for what’s ahead. I shared with them a quote I read from a tiny inspirational book I picked up at home…
“Behind every mountain conquered is a higher mountain waiting to be climbed.”
That gained me applause and also made me look smart. 
I honestly believed that to be true then and I still believe it to be true now. In my business and career, I have become more aware when I am starting to become stagnant. I regularly invest in my professional development to keep myself up-to-date (the latest ones were on Business Agility Foundation and Leading with Agility). I also constantly strive to understand the pain and goals of leaders, and to innovate and align how I can support them. Through the years, I have launched programs like the Essential Coaching Skills for Leaders, Leading Excellent Teams, Personal and Leadership Mastery, Leadership Acceleration Program and Future-Ready Leaders. And I know that it doesn’t end here.
On the personal side (I don’t share it here often), I have, finally, after 2 years of consistency and commitment, lost close to 80 lbs and am now in my best physical and mental shape ever.
The cherry on top? I won 
5th place in the Women’s Cutting Category out of hundreds of women in the program (Cutting refers to shedding fat / losing weight).
It all started with the desire not to be stuck, but to continue to be and do better.
Joining this fitness+personal development masterclass was my first step, and the rest, as they say, is history. There’s one happening on July 11 at 7PM PHT. Join us and I’d be happy to journey with you!
