Obsess for Success: 6 Ways to Use Obsession to Get Ahead in Your Career

Do you wonder why someone like Elon Musk is so successful? It might seem a little extreme, but obsession is the secret ingredient.

Justine Musk, the ex-wife of Elon Musk, saw this all too often. “Extreme success results from an extreme personality,” she says. If you’re wondering how to separate yourself from the pack on the way to success, her advice is, “Be obsessed.”

If you’re looking for extreme results, you must take extreme measures. This is why successful people spend years learning their craft. They also spend thousands of dollars on coaching to help them get ahead. Here are six ways to use obsession to help you reach success.

1. Raise Your Standards

Why settle for good when greatness is within reach? Elevate the benchmarks you hold for yourself. Commit to excel in even the simplest tasks. Your dedication will inspire and set a precedent for others to emulate.

Master active listening to enhance your relationships. Be the best contributor you can be to help others be good contributors. Some people may think you try too hard, but your obsession with high standards will encourage others to follow suit.

2. Commit to Being the Best

Many people think that average is good enough. They feel that being an average worker means being a good one and that being an average student means being a good student. However, imagine the possibilities if they aimed for exceptionalism instead.

Elevating your performance in all aspects of life is achievable, yet it’s a path less traveled due to the reluctance to exceed basic responsibilities. Commit to surpassing the mediocrity surrounding you and strive to be the best version of yourself.

Focus on the most important areas of your life. For example, start by being the best leader you can be at your job. Read leadership books and listen to educational podcasts. Measure your leadership effectiveness and set up accountability structures for improving your performance. Seek feedback from your team on how you can better fulfill your role and act on their suggestions.

Each month, shift your focus to another aspect of your life and commit to mastering it. Continue this process, and you’ll gradually raise every facet of your life to a remarkable level.

3. Leverage Your Creativity

Creativity is worth its weight in gold. It’s the reason you can’t replace human ingenuity with technology. Regardless of whether your profession leans towards analytical tasks, there’s always room for innovation to propel your work into a realm of new opportunities. Leverage your creativity to gain an edge. Continuously seek fresh perspectives and embrace unconventional thinking.

4. Take Pride in Your Work

Hold your work in high esteem. Exceptionalism flows naturally when you take pride in your pursuits and approach them with passion. Let your personal best define the benchmark for all your tasks, as no work is insignificant.

This quote sums it up best.

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

― Martin Luther King Jr.

The pride you take in your work will help make the world a better place. Be obsessed with adding value and excellence to everything you do.

5. Take Responsibility for Your Mistakes

You won’t be perfect all the time. If you’re aiming for the stratosphere, you’ll make mistakes on your journey. The key is to own up to your mistakes right away. Offer sincere apologies to those impacted and accept responsibility for your actions. You exhibit confidence by consistently taking ownership of your mistakes, which is vital when pursuing excellence.

6. Be Selective

Exercise discernment when agreeing to new opportunities. Resist the temptation to accept every offer; spreading yourself too thin diminishes your effectiveness. Focus on what truly resonates with you and say “no” to things that don’t truly matter. Remember, time is finite—invest it in pursuits that maximize your potential and bring you the most fulfillment.

The Bottom Line

The degree to which you become obsessed with your work can be a good indicator of how successful you’ll be. A genuine commitment to excellence, the relentless pursuit of the ideal resources, and the cultivation of the right mindset are hallmarks of this journey. You’ll also need the right coaches and mentors to help you.

Your mindset is powerful, and you can use it to turn your obsession into success. Ready to get started? Sign up for a complimentary call with an Arootah Executive Coach to learn how we can support you.