Fast Growth Is Overrated

We live in a world obsessed with what we do.

• What did you earn from your job last year?
• What place did your team finish in the standings?
• What trophy did you win? What award did you get? 
• What measure of social status did you receive?

In moderation, this focus on what is fine. I like getting results just as much as the next person. I like performing well. I like being on top of my game. Achievement can be a good thing.So many of the problems I have run into as an entrepreneur, as a writer, and as an athlete have been because I have tried to grow too fast. I was so focused on getting a particular result that I ignored the fundamental habits that would have made my growth sustainable.

Fast growth forces you into a higher cost environment and if you don't have the systems and ability to handle those costs, you'll end up paying for it.

• When I tried to push myself to lift bigger weights in record time, my body got run down and injured.
• When I tried to force my business to the “next level” without knowing what I was getting into, I got stressed out and stepped on people's toes without meaning to.
• When I tried to push down the accelerator and double revenues, I fell flat on my face with a product launch and didn't have a system that could service customers properly.

Fast growth and intense effort are great – if you have the foundation to handle the intensity. This is why Yuri Vardanyan focuses on five-rep maxes. He's building the foundation.

Put in your reps and build the capacity to do the work. There will be time for maxing out later. First, build the foundation.