Outdoing yourself. Each year, you should aim to exceed anything you did last year.

Compared to what you could be doing to elevate your life, comparison is a waste of energy. So lock in, stay humble, and be better than you were yesterday.

If you did one push-up, dare to do two next time. If you were really kind to your partner, challenge yourself to be more loving the next chance you get.

The point is this: yesterday's achievement becomes today's foundation to build upon. The definition of stagnation is stunted growth. Growth is created when we consistently seek to outdo what we did last time.

Now, I hear you saying, "What if I don’t outdo myself? What if I try and fail?"

This is what you need to remember: average effort encourages an average attitude. Exceptional effort encourages an attitude of excellence.

Success is great. Personal achievement gives life meaning. But all of this can blind you to the beauty of the journey of becoming more.

Yes, you can try to compete against others, but you can't always control that. What you can control is your determination to not stay at the same level in a new year. You must outdo yourself.

Outdo your mindset. Outdo your capacity and grit. Outdo your passion. Resist the urge to coast on an expired season of success. Be ruthlessly obsessed with the desire to excel.

It will not be easy, but when you commit to outdoing yourself, you will gain and discover so much about yourself.