How to Outperform 99% Of People

What do top athletes, successful business owners, and high-earning executives have in common?

They all seem to have the ability to make the impossible possible.

Breaking physical records, building billion-dollar companies, and becoming sought-after leaders.

Their accomplishments are so far above average that we automatically assume they must be gifted. Or special.

But what if I told you that the same skill that makes athletes and CEOs in the top 1% of their fields can make you the top 1% in your career?

There's one undervalued skill that can make you outperform 99% of professionals, and it is 100% learnable. No talent or special genes are required; it is just a different approach.

Why Aspire to Outperform 99%?

Let's face it: the corporate world can feel like it's rigged for mediocrity.

We're encouraged to fit in, stay complacent, and just hit "average" to keep our jobs. It's no wonder that 68% of employees are categorized as "meeting expectations" while 2% exceed them.

The problem is the longer we stay in this environment, the more we lower our standards and lose sight of what we want. In a world where just being 'good enough' seems to be the norm, aiming to outperform 99% of people is not just about career goals; it's about not being satisfied with settling for average.

It's about setting a new standard for yourself and refusing to be boxed in by what everyone else considers 'normal' when you know you were meant for more.

You see, outperforming 99% isn't about winning a competition; it's about unlocking your fullest potential and committing to a relentless pursuit of growth and impact.

You don't HAVE to do it. But life becomes so much more fulfilling when you do.

The Skill That Separates the Top 1%

At the core of every successful person, one skill sets them apart. It has nothing to do with DNA and everything to do with mindset.

The skill that will allow you to outperform 99% of people is…

→ Taking action without a guarantee

While most people need reassurance and confidence to go after audacious goals, the top 1% realizes they can learn and grow faster by simply “doing it” instead of waiting to feel ready (Nike had it right all along!).

Athletes don’t wait for their bodies to become ready; they push themselves beyond what is considered possible to break records.

Business owners don’t wait for the market conditions to be perfect; they seize momentum and work through every obstacle that comes along.

But that is different from what most people do. Most people make excuses, wait for a sign, and want to feel absolutely, 100%, and positively sure before stepping outside their comfort zone.

But we all do it…

Have you ever told yourself things like:

"I’ll apply for the promotion when I check all the boxes."

↳ The goalpost keeps moving, so you’ll never actually catch up.

"I’ll network with top executives when I feel more confident."

↳ You are not going to wake up confident one day. You'll be waiting forever...when having one or two conversations is all you need to build up the confidence.

"I’ll invest in a coach when my salary is higher."

↳ Without a coach, you could stay stuck, never earning enough to afford a coach... (catch-22 anyone?).

It’s like waiting to be fit before you go to the gym. You know it’s backward, and yet…we keep doing it.

But here is the good news: if you can break that cycle and train yourself to take action without a guarantee (a.k.a, feel the fear and do it anyway), you will set yourself up for outperforming 99% of people and reaping the rewards of being in the top 1%.

How to Take Action Without a Guarantee

There are a million little choices you can make every day that will help you get there, but today, I want to focus on the power of reframing.

I want to show you how to change the narrative inside your head and turn procrastination into motivation.

Every time you catch yourself hesitating or making excuses, ask yourself these questions:

1. If not now, then when?

A few years ago, I was listening to Racheal Hollis talking about how she finally developed the habit of working out in her 30s. After years of procrastination, she finally asked herself: if not now, then when? When I’m too old? When it’s too late?

And that question hit hard. We don’t have endless time on our hands, even though sometimes it feels like we do. Asking this question reminds you to focus on what matters and act now instead of pushing your timeline to "one day."

2. Will I regret not doing it?

This question is all about loss aversion. Loss aversion is a bias we all have. We perceive an actual or potential loss as more painful than the potential gain. For instance, the pain of losing $100 is often far greater than the joy gained in finding a $100 bill in the street.

So, if the reward of taking action isn’t appealing enough to convince you to go for it, you can try and use pain.

Think about what you will give up on if you don’t take action.

If you don’t apply for the promotion, you won’t level up this year. You’ll feel disappointed and somewhat behind because some of your friends and colleagues are already one step ahead of you. You will also be leaving money on the table if you don’t get the 5-figure raise that comes with that promotion.

When what you stand to lose is painful, you’ll take action to avoid this pain.

3. Am I making this decision from a place of fear or possibility?

Making decisions out of fear is a recipe for compromise and disappointment. When you face everything with the worst-case scenario, you’ll come up with catastrophic repercussions.

If you try to network with an executive and it goes sideways, you will:

Lose all respect from everyone at the company

Ruin your reputation for the rest of your career

Never get a job again

These are all unrealistic, but they feel very real in your head.

To counter the worst-case scenario jitters, I always ask myself: what if it all works out?

What would it look like if I absolutely nailed it? You will be more likely to take action with a positive future in mind to balance your worst-case scenario.

Your Next Steps

As you navigate your career journey, remember that operating at the top 1% doesn’t come from having certainty in everything you do. It comes from trusting yourself to figure things out as you go.

Taking action is what gives you the confidence to do what most people can’t or won’t do. Action helps you grow your confidence and not the other way around.

If you want to unleash a bigger and bolder version of yourself, start by taking action without guarantee every time it scares you. That’s the secret to outperforming 99% of people and making the impossible possible.

I believe in you and I’m rooting for you.

Maya ❤️