by David DeFord

In February of 1993, Sergei Bubka of the Ukraine shattered the world pole vault record by clearing a bar set at 20 feet 2 inches. Think about that height. Imagine using a fiberglass pole to flip yourself to the height of a two story building.

Successful pole vaulters compete at their best form by putting in motion their speed, their upper-body strength, their sense of timing, their agility, and the fire in their guts.

Following an athlete’s successful jump, the officials raise the bar, and the vaulter strives to surpass the higher standard. The athlete continues to vault over greater and greater distances until he has reached his limit for that meet.

No matter how satisfied a pole vaulter may feel after reaching a personal best, or winning the championship of his school, his conference, his nation, or the world, he goes back to work and pushes for greater heights. As he practices, he builds his strength and hones his skills until his next meet. There he strives to surpass again his personal best, and win the competition.

His quest for improvement never ends. He continues to raise his standards.

We can duplicate the pole vaulter’s continued striving for excellence in the attainment of our life goals. We can raise our own standards. As we achieve a goal, we can “raise the bar” and strive for a higher attainment. When we fail to meet a goal, we can go back to work, improve our skills, change our approach, work on our mental attitude, and try again and again. We keep pushing ourselves until we achieve the standard we set for ourselves. Once we succeed at our established goal, we raise the standard again and strive some more.

Like great athletes who never feel satisfied nor become complacent, we can strive continually for greater achievement. We can enjoy the rewards of our goal attainments, and then we raise the bar and strive for higher goals.

Say you have set the lofty goal of opening your new business by the end of the quarter. You make a plan. You work hard. You make use of your network of friends. And you submit all of the necessary government red tape. If, at the end of the quarter you have not completed your marketing plan, do you quit? Of course not, you set a new goal. Then you go to work to make it happen.

Once you achieve your business launch goal, you raise the bar and set new goals regarding sales, advertising, contacts, hiring, and set whatever other goals you need to achieve for your business to grow. You raise the standard of success like a world-class athlete.

May you ever strive for greater success at home, at work, and in your community efforts. Raise your standards.

Related Quotes

The roots of true achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become. Harold Taylor

It’s never crowded along the extra mile. Dr. Wayne Dyer

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them--a desire, a dream, a vision. Muhammad Ali

You can't hope for the best. You have to do the best. Dusty Baker

The person who is waiting for something to turn up might start with their shirt sleeves. Garth Henrichs

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. Stephen King

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them. George Bernard Shaw

Related Offerings

Visit www.TheGreatLifeStore.com and find pages filled with resources on:
• Achievement
• Attitude
• Biographies
• Chicken Soup books
• Financial success
• Focus
• Goals
• Health
• Leadership
• Living with Purpose
• Quote books
• And, best of all, Books by David DeFord

To comment on this page, please email ddeford@ordinarypeoplecanwin.com