Imagine yourself seated in an airplane on a runway preparing for takeoff. The pilot gets clearance from the tower to take off and eases the throttle forward, but instead of revving up the engines and releasing the brakes, he gradually increases speed slowly. You are waiting to feel the thrust of the engines pull you into the back of your seat, but it never happens. Would you reach enough speed to become airborne? I guess that depends on the length of the runway. If you had a 5 mile long runway, that could be a possibility. Juxtapose that scenario with a fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier. He has only 1000 feet or runway to become airborne or he will wind up crashing into the ocean.  The afterburners fire, and the pilot is slammed into the back of his seat while taking flight.

None of us know exactly how much length of runway we have left in our lives. It may be several miles, it may be a few feet. Why not rev up your engines so you can take advantage of everything that your life has to offer! In this article, I’m going to share a few tips that have helped many top achievers produce great results.

I’m sure that you realize that your results in life will often mirror the intensity of effort that you put into them. For example, I was invited to go mountain biking with someone who had told me that she was frustrated because she wasn’t as trim and fit as she wanted to be despite hours she spent working out. When we hit the trail, I found myself stopping at even the easiest of paths, waiting for her to catch up. She would merely coast, peddle a bit, then coast, then walk for a bit. I fully understand that many people are a bit more cautious when biking a new trail; but this was more than caution, this was like shifting into neutral.

Realizing that this person approached most methods of exercise in this manner, it was no wonder to me why she wasn’t getting the results she desired. She was not intense enough! Many personal trainers will tell you that interval training (that is alternating between very high intensity and a brief rest period) will put your body into fat burning mode. That theory is true in nearly every aspect of life. Kick up your intensity a notch or two! Here are a few tips that could help you achieve the results you desire by kicking up the intensity:

1. Get around people who are performing at the level which you strive to be at. Undoubtedly, you will find that they are tremendously focused and work very hard at the tasks in front of them. Model that. You don’t need to re-invent the wheel. When I started speaking, I learned quite a bit from my coach via the phone calls we had. I learned a tremendous amount when I would help him at live events and see how things happened in the moment.

2. Give yourself the gift of “No”. Top leaders in any industry realize that there is a price associated with every “Yes” that they commit to. Good to Great author, Jim Collins, explains that a “to do” list is important; but many times a “Not to do” list is more effective. Don’t be afraid to decline offers that come your way.

3. Find someone to hold you accountable. Having someone to hold you accountable for your actions, whether they are a friend, coach, or mastermind partner will force you to push forward when the going gets tough. My buddy Doug and I go trail running several times per week. I promise you that there are days when I don’t feel like running, but lace up anyway because he is waiting for me. The same is true for him. Regardless of your goals, having someone to answer to will propel you forward.

We are all poised at the tip of the runway of our lives, regardless of where we feel we may be currently. Will you merely coast and hope that good things will lift you up; or will you engage the afterburners and soar?