Do Less — Then Obsess

The good aspects of being perfect are intrinsic motivation, extreme focus, ambitious goals, strong work ethic and high personal standards. They are also highly coachable.

Elite performers are often perfectionists as their activity requires error-free performance.

An overly intense focus on a goal can lead to what cognitive psychologists call goal neglect. That may seem counterintuitive to the average goal-oriented MBA or entrepreneur, but take, for example, the dynamic at work in micromanagement.

Often, when leaders micromanage employees, an i...

Mastery does not happen by chance. If you want to fulfil your potential, you must practice consistently at a specific skill over a long time. But the top performers in any craft also figure out a way to fall in love with boredom or monotony that comes from putting in the hours and doing t...