Delusion is the enemy of world class thinking. Listen to this post to see where you stand. (2:46)

Steve Siebold
flagabigmouth@gmail.com
Author and Professional Speaker since 1997. Past Chairman of the National Speakers Association's Million Dollar Speakers Group. Author of 11 books with 1.4 million copies in print.

19 thoughts on “Are You Operating From Objective Reality?”

  1. This objective reality audio clip reminds me of something my former figure skating coach told me in my former days. He said, “When average basketball players play with Michael Jordan, they get better as players.” It was his way of humbling me whenever I was comparing myself to another average skater. He would refocus my thinking to use comparison only if my point of reference is the best in my field. Today, I seek out the best in training and development and study them because that is all that is worth my time. It’s a great question to ask oneself: “How good are you at what you do for a living and who do you compare your performance too?”

    A real barometer to know if one is dealing with objective reality or delusion.

    Thanks, Michelle M. Strbich

  2. Hello Steve,

    This audio really brings together two concepts; to whom are you comparing yourself, and in what areas. I am a technical trainer and as such I will compare myself to the very best in the world. I plan on making a transition to professional speaking and so now am comparing my skills to you and Bob Proctor (and have a ways to go). But I do not compare myself to anyone in sports (including tennis) because I have no interest in getting good. The rule, I guess, is to accentuate your assets and manage your liabilities.

  3. Hi Steve,

    First, I’d like to say that I’ve got no problem with the longer audio. Whenever you are talking or writing, it’s stuff I ought to be paying attention to, so the more, the better.

    Looking back, I think one of my biggest obstacles has been that it’s always easy to be among the top of the middle-class, and I’ve always been satisfied with that.

    It’s not easy changing 50-odd years of ingrained habits, but your book and now audios will certainly help.

    Thanks,

    Ken

  4. Steve,

    The first time you asked me “compared to whom?”, I was just flat out AGGRAVATED! I was really hot – I thought you had insulted me!

    When I cooled off (days later), I realized what really happened – it was a pure defensive reaction to the “threat” of a new idea.

    I admit – one of the hardest things for me about staying with mental toughness is the continual reminders of just how “middle class” the majority of my thinking is!

    The world class thinker in me says, “Thanks Steve! Please keep me on my toes! I want to get better!” (The middle class thinker in me says, “Ah, that Siebold is a …”).

    I’m working on – BRIDGING – that gap (pun intended!).

    Wiz…

  5. Steve:

    I have been instituting the principles you stress since I was exposed to your content 2 years ago. Great things are starting to happen for me personally and professionally! Creating a vision for your life and reviewing that vision constantly works wonders!! Thanks for creating this blog which provides quick doses of inspiration and motivation!! Keep up the great work!!

  6. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to respond to the new Blog. I appreciate the compliments on the 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class, as well as the suggestions on the length of the audio posts. I’ll try to keep them between 2-3 minutes. Please keep the feedback coming. I want this Blog to serve as an ongoing resource for all of us who are interested in the concept of world-class thinking.

    One of my main goals when I started writing the book back in 2004 was to make it 100% content. I was chastised by several New York publishers for not including stories, but I wanted this book to be a serious resource for anyone truly interested in the thought processes, habits and philosophies of the greatest performers in the world. As a 30-year student of personal development, I’ve always appreciated books that delivered the information without watering it down with too many stories. That way the book is an ongoing resource. One of my goals for this Blog is to pick up where the book leaves off. Whether it’s a quick motivational boost or a story about what I learned from 23 years of interviewing the world class, I want this to become a place you and your team (if you have one) can use, (and participate in) on an ongoing basis.

    Thanks again for being a part of MentalToughness Blog.com!

    Steve Siebold
    Gainesville, Georgia
    September 13, 2007

  7. Steve,

    What a great gift and service you are providing here these nuggets of wisdon are PURE GOLD! I just completed the FAT LOser’s Class with Dawn and we are in between classes so this will be a great way to keep absorbing this material.

    Mental Toughness has saved me from an early grave! I am so grateful to both you and Dawn for the FAT Loser Program and looking forward to Ft. Lauderdale. –Dave Boufford aka; Mr. Positive!

    PS For me I liked the length of the first post much better…maybe you can do a short version and an extended version and see what get’s downloaded the most???

  8. Hi Steve:

    You know I am a BIG fan of mental toughness and I enjoyed the MTC. I can never get enough of the message and via the blog is another way to get the message out there. The blogs are also a more quick and efficient way of getting the message out there. But I do feel that the message is more powerful when delivered in person or by a conference call and I think that is to be expected. This could also just be my biasness where I always prefer to talk to a live voice versus email. There is no question that the blogs are the future. The important thing is getting the message out!

    Look forward to seeing you in Ft. Lauderdale at the workshop next month.

  9. Hi Steve:

    What I love most about your work and messages is that you are not offering “fixes” to our problems, but rather you focus simply on the thoughts we choose to think, knowing full well that any one of us can choose world class over middle class. It’s refreshing that you are one of us, making world-class choices, rather than a guru here to help us fix something broken in us. Never once have I heard you say that only you have the answer to deliver us into the lives we seek, and that if we don’t buy your products or programs, we’ll never have the secrets to success. Instead, you go out and get “the secrets” from the mouths of those living world-class lives, and share the info.

    Thank you for your amazing honesty and approach that does not create an air of mystery and insecurity in folks, but rather offers a blatant bridge to success, eliminating the illusion of “us” vs. “them.”

    Looking forward to your sound bites and your readers’ comments. All the best, my friend!

  10. Please change the “K” to “L” in “Kisten”.
    Your passion for sharing this wisdom continues to influence my life in the most powerful ways.
    Today I walked with my best friend, a realtor who just sold the most expensive piece of residential real estate in the history of Victoria. $14M.
    His commission is high 6 figures and we talked about how much he had to grow as a person to attract such a deal. If you don’t “think” big you won’t attract big.
    Rave on Steve!

  11. Steve,

    I am a HUGE fan of your book and LOVE this idea as well. I think you make an EXCELLENT point in who do we compare ourselves to. I have asked all of our sales team to check out the blog. Thanks for the additional resource in helping us to achieve a World Class Mentality. Lastly, while I agree that too many of us compare only against those we know we’re “better” than, in all reality the only comparison that should matter is the one against who we were yesterday.

  12. Steve,

    I’m thrilled that you’ve started a blog. Your work has helped me evolve my thinking and performance in every part of my life so tremendously over the past few years. I’m so grateful for what you do.

    Let make take you to dinner next time you find yourself in Gotham.

    Keep up the great work —

    Raj Shahani
    New York, NY

  13. Steve,
    Love the blog idea. From this little test, I think it has great potential. Message was great and just the right length. I listened to the one recorded on the 11th and it was too long. Works kind of like the stories in our speeches. Keep them short with plenty of paybacks!! Keep me in the loop.

    Kris

Comments are closed.