2mm | Life as a Royal

Recently, I have been watching motivational videos and one really struck a chord with me – go two millimeters more to be outstanding. I cannot explain it as well as Tony Robbins does, but I can explain what it means to me.

In short, we live in a world of high expectations. Doing a good job no longer sees good results. One must do an excellent job to get good results.

So then how does one get excellent results?

Do an outstanding job.

The difference between good and excellent is huge. Like a world of difference. But the difference between excellent and outstanding – 2 mm. About the size of the head of a sewing pin. Which made me think of the classic question – “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?”

I understand what it means to put that little extra oomph into everything you do, or at least the things you want to have excellent results. That impacts different things for different people – work, school, hobbies, family, etc.

but… what does 2 mm mean to me/for me?

As discussed in the Spoons post, even what most people consider as nearly-automatic processes require me to consider what energy I need for sitting up in bed, walking to the bathroom, standing for a shower, raising arms to wash hair…I have to consider every small step within larger processes.

2 mm

It may take me more than the next person to achieve 2 mm. But not see any greater results from it. Maybe it’s like volume and mass – my 2 mm may be more dense, but the volume is what is measured for excellent results.

On the other hand, perhaps good results is good enough for me. Perhaps I learn to lower my standards and expectations. Perhaps I learn when and where to give in order to get somewhere else. Perhaps I learn to prioritize. Perhaps I learn to slow down. Perhaps perhaps perhaps.

Although I would love to be a little snarky and say perhaps not, I cannot in good faith claim that I have not learned to give a little in one area in order to see gains in another. If I don’t slow down, the body fails and I am forced to slow down. I am thankful the brain doesn’t fail, but if I did – would I know?

At one point, everything I did was for my daughters. Being a single mom meant we were really close and remain close to this day. Yes, most moms are close to their kids, but I can honestly say that neither of my girls ever told me that they hated me or that I was ruining their lives. I make sure to brag on that in front of them so it remains true. We have fought while hugging. So we are close. I frankly think I only survived at some points because of my daughters. My time to dedicate to the corporate world is now, after they have left home and established their adult lives. I think I did it backwards, but I was also 42 when the youngest left home – not sure I could’ve done it any other way.

So 2 mm to me seems a lot more effort. But I see the same results as anyone else who goes that extra 2 mm. So the results have to be valued enough to merit that effort.