How to Get Better at What You’re Doing

I imagine taking that spectacular pill on “Limitless.” Then I wonder to myself, what it must feel like to be — well, awesome at everything. And to achieve it so automatically.

Mere mortal that I am, and the fact that I’m not living a TV life, I look for realistic ways to make myself better. I will not bore you with details on what it is exactly I do. Suffice it to say that it varies, if you’ve been reading my posts here.

Here are some of the things you could do to get better at what you’re doing.

Get someone to teach you.

When you were young, that meant getting a tutor. With a tutor, you could learn at your own pace and get to ask as many questions as possible. Without getting the evil eye, like you would from your classroom teacher, who just wants to “get on with the lesson.”

Now that you’re an adult, you can still get some sort of tutor. If you want to get better at your business or your career, you could hire a personal or business coach. A coach could give you better direction — an outsider’s perspective on what you could do differently.

Meditate.

I used to think meditation was unachievable because I find it hard to concentrate sometimes. Also, meditation in mind, back then, meant sitting still for long hours. But as it turns out, you can actually meditate in as little as 5 minutes.

It’s simple even. Just find a quiet place. Focus on your breathing, deep breathing. And just do it for 5 minutes.

If you like, you can even download a quick meditation guide or stream something off of YouTube. You can also try a variation if deep breathing for 5 minutes sounds dull after a long while.

The key is to do it regularly. When you do, you’ll feel calmer, and more focused on doing what it is you do for a living. Higher level of meditation can also boost cognitive function.

Travel — get some perspective.

If at all possible, travel on your own. Just make sure to pick safe places. When you’re traveling alone, you get to enjoy the destination at your own pace. You can experience new things without letting someone else’s preconceived notions ruin the moment. You can also travel as ruggedly or as luxuriously as you like.

When you roam outside of your own world, you inevitably learn new things you could use for your career — for your life.