Shorombo Mooij
- May 5, 2023
- 7 min read

7 ways in which a High Performer thinks differently

There are people in this world who just seems to outperform everybody. These are typically the trailblazers, the change-makers, the disruptors, and often our role models. But why are they on such a different level than the rest of us?

Is it that they have more time?

Is it that they are smarter than us?

Is it that they have a gene that allows them to do more, focus better and achieve more?

Or is it just that they have a different view on some core things and therefore make better daily decisions?

Below you will find 7 ways that a High Performer thinks differently.

7 ways a High Performer thinks differently.

1) They think about time differently.

High Performers see time as simultaneously valuable and finite. This perspective on time is what sets High Performers apart from others. Here are some ways in which they view time differently:

They prioritize their time according to their goals and values and focus on what's most important to them.

In my High-Performance Productivity and Time Management course, I explain it as follows:

Imagine waking up every day with a full wallet of time.

This is the only amount of time you have during the day.

Because of the finite amount of time you have, you will spend more deliberately and consciously because you want to most "buck" for your time.

This is how High Performers think about time.

They understand that time is a limited resource, and they are careful about how they use it.

Because of this mindset, they are proactive about managing their time, and they don't let distractions or inefficiencies get in their way.

They simply don't feel like they have time to waste.

They are mindful of how they spend their time, and they make sure that they are using it in a way that aligns with their priorities and helps them achieve their objectives. If it doesn't contribute to the quality of their lives or the obtainment of their objectives, they will think twice about spending time on it.

Think about what this would mean for your life.

What if you were to refrain from spending time in ways that don't really contribute to your quality of life and instead reallocate this time to things that do?

Wouldn't your overall quality of life increase?

This is why this mindset is so vital. By adopting another mindset about time, you will make better daily decisions on how to spend your time, which will subsequently lead to a better quality of life across the board.

In short, by approaching time in this way, High Performers are able to accomplish more, be more productive, and ultimately achieve greater success in their personal and professional lives.

Don't you want the same thing? So start looking at time differently.

2) They see health as integral to success.

High Performers look at health from a completely different perspective. Whereas we think about health as not being sick, High Performers see it as the very foundation on which everything else is built. See the difference?

They recognize that their achievement in business or in whatever professional pursuit is contingent on two factors:

1) Having mental clarity

and

2) Having the energy to do it

That's why they put a high emphasis on all aspects of their health. If you want to perform at your best, you need to make sure your body and mind are optimally supported.

In addition, they also recognize that health is the foundation for success and happiness in another area of their life, not just business or work.

And isn't that in the end what we are all after?

You can imagine that this different mindset on health leads to completely different choices.

They prioritize their health above everything else.

Here are some examples:

They prioritize sleep: Getting enough sleep is crucial for physical, mental, and emotional health. High Performers are focused on getting enough sleep and most importantly high-quality sleep. They make sure to get a full night's sleep on a consistent basis, and may even incorporate naps or other restful activities into their routine.

They exercise regularly: Just like athletes, High Performers know that regular exercise is essential for staying healthy and performing at their best. Therefore a holistic exercise regime forms the backbone of their daily lives. When you look at the lives of true High Performers you will often see that their lives are designed around various healthy habits like daily exercise.

They may have a structured workout routine, or simply make sure to move their body in some way every day.

Lastly, they look at food as nourishment and fuel for the body and brain, not just something you need to do. Eating a healthy, balanced diet to them is much more than just filling their stomach or not gaining weight. They see food as a source of energy and vitality for both the body and the brain. Therefore, they invest much more time, energy, and money in their nutrition because they realize that for them to function optimally, they need to provide the body with what it needs.

3)They think differently about money.

Most people have limiting beliefs about money. In other words, they have negative associations with money, people with money, etc. High Performers are very very different when it comes to their money mindset.

Richard Branson said it best:

"Money is to make things happen."

For High Performers, money is a means to create a positive impact and turn visions into reality.

High performers recognize that money is more than just a means of accumulating wealth. Rather, it's a valuable tool that can bring their ideas to life and their ideas and vision are what drive them most. They see money as a tool that can create freedom, innovate, empower, and elevate.

They see money as a "force for good" and consider it their duty to make as much of it, so that they can have the greatest impact they can.

4) They curate what they spend their attention and energy on.

High Performers are incredibly mindful about how they spend their energy and attention and curate what they expose themselves to, be it TV, the news, social media, or the people they interact with.

As you have read, they see time as a finite resource and this habit ties into that mindset. Furthermore, High Performers know that there is a price they pay if they don't curate their intake of daily external stimuli.

For example, it not only takes a toll on your productivity or creativity and eats up time, but it also influences the way you think and feel about yourself, the world, and others.

Therefore, High Performers are very mindful of what they consume because they know what effect this has on their mindset.

This level of mindfulness and curation allows high performers to maintain a sense of control over their lives, and to focus on what truly matters. As a result, High performers set limits for themselves in social media usage, intentionally spend time with positive and driven people, choose accurate and unbiased news sources, and prioritize rest and recovery in their daily routine.

How intentionally do you spend your time and attention?

5) They are creators, not consumers

High Performers spend more time, attention, and money creating things than consuming things because they feel they have something important to contribute to the world be it a service, a product, an idea, or a thought.

It greatly influences how they prioritize their time and what they focus their energy on.

By focusing their time, energy, and resources on creating things, they are able to achieve great things and make a significant impact in their field of work.

Furthermore, High Performers understand that consuming too much content can lead to a lack of productivity and creativity. Lastly, they are more focused on creating a positive impact on the life of others instead of just enriching their own with quick fixes and consumption.

So, how is the ratio in your life?

6) They expect more of themselves

High Performers have high expectations of themselves and dare to hold themselves accountable for it. High Performers focus on delivering the highest quality in everything they do and that's where they differ from the rest.

Most people nowadays, have a mindset of mediocrity. They do just enough to get by and are fine with that.

A High performer is very different. For him, the mindset of excellence is a way of life and he can't think of any other way to life. In the end, would you want your life to turn out the best it can be? For a High Performer, it makes no sense to not want to go for the best but he doesn't do this for acclaim, he doesn't do it to feel worthy, he does this because growth is the ultimate reward to him, and living this way makes for an exciting life.

High Performers strive for excellence in everything they pursue but not in a debilitating low self-esteem way. They don't HAVE to be excellent, they WANT to be excellent because to them there simply is no other way to live. It excites them, it fuels them, it lifts them and others up.

To them "the game of life" is to see how much of yourself you can bring to the world before you die.

High Performers are driven highly driven by this neverending growth.

Now ask yourself, are you excited by life or are you feeling like you are going through the motions? If the latter is the case, then it might be time to find where you can grow.

7) They take radical ownership of their lives

High Performers hold themselves accountable for everything and they do this very deliberately. They know that taking responsibility for every result in their lives empowers them because if you think are responsible for everything, you are also always part of the solution.

This is an empowered way of living.

You'll therefore rarely hear a High Performer engage in "victim speak" and make excuses or shift the blame onto others. Instead, they take ownership of their mistakes, learn from them, and use them as fuel to improve.

They are masters in using EVERYTHING as fuel for growth.

This mindset allows them to constantly grow and evolve, both personally and professionally.

Are you a High Performer?

That's it! These are 7 key points on which High Performers differ from most. Can everybody be a High Performer? Of course! Does everybody need to be a High Performer? Of course not. If you have it in you and are motivated to challenge yourself and grow, then this probably resonated with you and you definitely have it in you to level yourself up. If not, take from it whatever helps you, you are awesome too!