“When you decide to up-level and go bigger, your life becomes very difficult for a short period of time.” – Benjamin Hardy
I like to think that I am on a constant quest to level up. If you are someone, like me, who is interested in personal and professional development, chances are you have come across the term leveling up in some of your readings. But what does it really mean?
Leveling up means to advance or improve oneself[1]. The term of course comes from gaming, where one must complete various tasks to be able to proceed to the next level. Outside of the gaming console, in the game called life, leveling up means taking your life to the next level by focusing on personal growth and development.
If you want more out of life, there is no other option, you need to take action. Just like in a video game, if you do not move away from the starting position <START>; you will not have the opportunity to gain experience (powers and points) to achieve your desired mission. In the book, Leveling Up, marketing leader and eSports player, Eric Siu, discusses ways to conquer the real world by accumulating personal power-ups that will help you achieve your goals.[2] His 15 levels include topics like your mission, your mindset, your routines, your focus, and your endurance. Siu claims that if you master all 15 levels, you will build the life of your dreams. If you want to take your life to the next level, there are some key actions you need to take. Inspired by Siu’s list of 15, below are a few tips to get you started:
- Your mission – Having goals and striving towards them can position you for an amazing journey. Align your goals to your mission and forge ahead!
- Your mindset – Embrace a growth mindset.[3] Challenges and setbacks should be appreciated as an opportunity for growth.
- Your routines – Identifying and consistently practicing appropriate habits is a challenge but if done well, it can accelerate your pace of leveling up.
“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.” – Marie Forleo
- Your focus – Staying focused is how to succeed in life. The old saying “Keep your eye on the prize” says it all. Having a goal to reach is paramount to staying focused.
- Your endurance – Know that determination is an essential quality for anyone who sets their mind to achieve great things. Learn to take breaks and not give up.
Taking action through one or more of these steps, over time and with focus, will help to propel you to your next level. But what if you have been doing this and begin to feel out of sorts. In a blog from 2022[4], Benjamin Hardy addresses the discomfort associated with leveling up and signs that you may have recently leveled up. He states that,
“When you decide to up-level and go bigger, your life becomes very difficult for a short period of time. You may have mastered algebra, but now you’re in a calculus class and feel completely disoriented. All of a sudden, the confidence you used to have feels completely gone. You’re now wondering if you want to do this whole math thing… or whatever it is you’re doing. Despite having a firm foundation, you feel like you’re standing on nothing, and that everything around you is falling apart……. Don’t fret, you’ve been through this before. You’ve come this far. You’ve battled hard. You’ve triumphed. Now things are feeling rough. But it won’t be long until you get your stride back. But this time, you’ll be more evolved. More able. The stakes will be higher. You’ll have more help and support. Everything will mean more.”
Have you leveled up lately?
Below is a list of 8 signs that you may have recently leveled up:[5]
- Your Confidence Temporarily Drops – If you’ve been successful in the past, and for some reason feel out of sorts, chances are, you’ve leveled up without realizing it. When you arrive at a new level, there are new challenges to be addressed, new rules to master.
- Everything Will Feel Like It’s Falling Apart – Where once you felt stable, you may now feel like there is no firm ground. You may experience new fears and lack of clarity around your purpose. Expect a period of adjustment to align with your new level.
- You’ll Begin To Question Yourself and Your Goals – In the midst of your confusion and lack of progress, you’ll begin to question yourself and the path you’re on. Do not be discouraged. Stay true to your direction and clarity shall return.
- You’ll Feel Numb – For a period of time, you may actually feel disconnected from your passion and purpose. This is because you are playing with a new set of rules, higher level rules. Give yourself permission to adjust accordingly.
- You’ll Start Going Through The Motions – For a while, it will feel like you’re only going through the motions, lacking focus and passion. Be patient, alignment and reconnection will come.
“A ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ is irrelevant if it is the wrong opportunity.” — Jim Collins.
- Opportunities Will Present Themselves – You have to be open to new opportunities if you want to unlock them. If you aren’t available and ready, then you won’t unlock the opportunities or see them when they come. Keep an open mind and watch for opportunities that align with your vision and purpose.
- You’ll Need to Adjust — What Got You Here Won’t Get You There – Yes, this a title of a book[6]. In this book by Marshall Goldsmith, he asserts that it is behavioral problems, not technical skills, which separate the great from the near great. Incredible results can come from practicing basic behaviors like saying thank you, listening well, thinking before you speak, and apologizing for your mistakes. If you are interested, pick up the book to discover how you can reach your full potential by eliminating twenty-one harmful behaviors.
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
- You’ll Need to Recommit — It Won’t Be Easy, But It Will Come — You’ll need to bear down and focus your intentions. You’ll need to get back to the beginner’s mind. You’ll need to want it badly enough to get extremely consistent again.
Leveling up is for anyone who wants more from life. Whether you are in the early days of leveling up or find yourself in that awkward recently leveled up stage, staying true and committed to your purpose will lead you on a path to ever greater heights.
[1] Level up Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster
[2] Leveling Up: How To Master The Game of Life by Eric Siu | Goodreads
[3] Carol Dweck: The power of believing that you can improve | TED Talk
[4] 13 Signs You’ve Leveled-Up As A Person | by Benjamin Hardy, PhD | Medium
[5] 13 Signs You’ve Leveled-Up As A Person | by Benjamin Hardy, PhD | Medium
[6] What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Goldsmith Marshall | Goodreads
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