3 Key Steps to Get to the Top of Your Game
By: Ria Tagulinao
Tags: Performance, Personal Development, F1, Self Improvement, Productivity

3 Key Steps to Get to the Top of Your Game

Become a superior performer like this 7-time F1 world champion

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton now stands alongside Michael Schumacher at seven F1 world championships. He has surpassed him in race results and critical driver statistics. F1 has described him as its “most complete performer”. Yet, in his post-championship interview, he admits:

“I don’t think I’ve hit the limit yet.”

I’ve come across a lot of resources about Lewis — Obviously, the guy is a legend. And as with most great people, we see and admire the talent. The pure drive (pun intended). A man, literally, at the finish line. But I don’t think we talk enough about how he got there.

So, in this story, let’s look into Lewis Hamilton’s work ethic to understand how he sets himself up for success. I’ve broken it down into three core components with actionable advice. If you want to know what it takes to become a superior performer in any aspect of your life, just take it from this seven-time F1 world champion.

Focus: List Down One Thing You’re Not Great At (yet).

Lewis knew that though he had the talent, it was the ability to focus that would take him far. He had to have a clear focus on- and off-track. His trick?

“Every year, I write down where I’m not great, as there are plenty of places I’m not great. And then I ask ‘so how do we do that?’”

In your craft, career, personal life, there are a thousand ways to improve. But when you try to improve on so many fronts all at once, you’ll most likely end up with slim changes and a whole lot of frustration and fatigue.

Scattered improvement can only take you so far. It’s an intentional, strategic focus that will change the ballgame.

In action: What is one thing that if you focus on and manage to turn around, will make a huge difference in your performance? Make a note. Hammer it into your head. Zoom into that aspect and relentlessly go after it.

Learning: Do Your Homework.

Mastering your craft requires equal parts practice and study. As Lewis said:

“It’s a lot of studying — I’ve done more this year than I would have done last year. I never understood that when I was younger, I’d just arrive and drive. The amount of homework I do in the background is probably the reason you see the results that I get today.”

Not only do you have to push harder when it comes to the actual work, but you’ve got to go the extra mile when you’re off the record. Doing your homework means knowing the ins and outs of the craft and your performance. It means dissecting feedback and, quoting Lewis’ engineer, “just trying to find what’s the next thing that we can learn, where can we find that next bit of performance.”

In action: Immerse yourself in both practice and study. Are you a Medium writer? Study other writers. Analyze your writing. Understand the rules of the platform. Perhaps you’re a fitness coach? Study various fitness programs. Join a community. Develop fundamental knowledge of nutrition. Learn as much as you can.

Variety: Keep Your Hobbies.

As if his plate wasn’t already full, Lewis is managing his own clothing line with Tommy Hilfiger. But as it turns out, his creative pursuits actually help him behind the wheel. In this podcast, he says he comes to races in much better form when he’s actively involved in other projects than when coming from a dull, restful week:

“I do all these things and my mind’s being challenged all the time. I arrive at the race. And maybe I have slightly less energy, but mentally, I’m buzzing. And that is more powerful than having all the rest you can possibly want.”

This may sound counterintuitive to the extreme focus and dedicated learning mentioned earlier. But the lesson here is that variety plays a key role in stimulating your brain and enhancing your performance.

Don’t drop your other interests because you’re too hellbent on getting better. If you break your back and dedicate every waking hour of your day to improving, you might just end up with tunnel vision. As research has proven, you’ll perform better and think more creatively if you expose yourself to play.

In action: You don’t have to launch your own fashion line or grow some kind of platform. Simply make time for your hobby. Dabble in a new interest or join a diverse community. Keep yourself curious, challenge yourself to think differently, and you will reap the rewards in your performance.