The Hidden Secrets of High Performing People

I'd like to ship you a free copy of my book, Habits of High Performers. If you come and join the 2026 goal setting workshop, I will ship you one of these today. The link is in the notes. Please come and join me to set up the very best 2026 you could imagine. If you've set up goals in the past or New Year's resolutions and they haven't substantiated, I'm here to help you across all the key pillars of your life nail your goals. I'll see you there. Welcome to Lead On Purpose. I'm James Laughlin, former seven time world champion musician and now executive coach to global leaders and high performers. Each week I'll publish a solo cast where I'll share my top high performance habits and methodologies to supercharge your life and career. If you enjoy the show, please take a short moment to subscribe and leave a rating and review. I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to connect today and investing in yourself. Enjoy the show.

Today we're going to talk about the secrets to high performing people, right? High performing people have certain things they do that everybody else doesn't. And let's face it, let's be honest, we can't have a world of millions of high performers, right? That's just not possible. High performance in itself is about performing above the standard norms. So if you perform at the standard level or below, you're not a high performer. And that's okay. But my life is all about helping leaders to to level up small 1 percenters at a time. I like to call it incrementalism, where we're incrementally and relentlessly building and growing and learning. And so today this is the first of a two part series and next week you'll have the second part. But I want to talk about what it takes, what those secrets are to being a really high performer as an individual. Because we can't have high performing teams if we lack high performance at an individual level. So there's a few ingredients. I would love you to take note of them and please do share them with others. And of course I'm just going to ask you to take a moment if you haven't already followed the show. Whether you're watching this, you know, YouTube, Spotify, Apple, podcast, please follow it. And if you can leave me a rating and review, it really helps. And then share it with one person, just one person. If you could share this with everyone, that would help us. That would double the size of our listenership. Which will help us to get those charts. And the reason I want to be in charts is because it puts the show in front of more incredible people's faces like you and into other people's ears and heads. Why do I want to do that? Because I bring on so many incredible guests that I want their amazing messages to get out into the world. So if you can help me really take this message and spread it wider and that will help me in turn to bring on even more guests, then just share it with one. One person. Click that copy link button or just text someone. Say check out Lead on Purpose with James Laughlin on whatever method they use, whether it's Apple, podcasts, Spotify or YouTube, I would sincerely appreciate it. So let's get down to the nuggets. So the very first thing, if someone wants to bring high performance to life for themselves, Vision precedes victory. I'll say that one more time. Vision precedes victory. I speak in recently at a keynote and the whole theme was around people who lack vision perish. And when you have a really clear vision, the chances of you achieving a victorious outcome are so much greater. Look, it's paramount that you clearly define what success looks like. Ask yourself, in order for me to be a high performer, what must happen to make this reality? I'll say that again. I want you to ask yourself right now, in order for me to be a high performer, what must happen to make this a reality? That vision that you've got clear on what needs to happen for you to make it a reality. And just remember that your victory is on the other side of a clear vision. Vision precedes victory. Never forget that. So important. And this is actually taken from an article I recently wrote for Forbes. So if you want to check out the article, we will put it in the show notes. Or if you just want to go to Google and just type in James Laughlin followed by the word Forbes. F O R B E S. You can check out the full article and I co authored this article with the incredible Brent Gleason, former Navy seal. Second big takeaway here. Self evaluation is the seed of self mastery. That's right. We cannot master ourselves or move towards the mastery of self unless we are continually self evaluating. Self evaluating is the starting point, that little seed that gets us starting to move towards our desired outcome. Self evaluation is the seed of self mastery. So make time consistently to reflect upon the three Ps progress, presence and purpose. Look, when you're progressing, you're growing. When you're progressing, you're adding value. When you're progressing, you are moving towards something meaningful. When you're present well, you're absolutely in the now. You're not focused on behind and forward. It's right here, right now. That's when you do great work. If you haven't read the book stolen focus, please go and buy it. It's incredible by Johann Hari all around the lack of presence we have in this world right now. And the chosen few who decide I'm going to develop focus and I'm going to become more focused on my work, more present with my loved ones. Those are the few that are going to get ahead. Those are the few that will be the 1 percenters. So progress, presence and last but not least, purpose. When we do anything and it lacks purpose, we tend to give up on it. You know, you get your gym membership and you give up on it six weeks later. Yeah, because it didn't have a deep enough purpose. But when you say are going to a family wedding or maybe it's, you know, maybe it's a child of yours, they're getting married, you know, you have a purpose behind getting healthy and fit and looking good. But then after that wedding, what's next? Well, you've got to continually find purpose. And many people certainly I'll put my hand up and say my purpose has changed over the years and it will continue to and evolve. Sometimes it's tiny little movement, but other times it's a drastic change in purpose. For example, when I became a dad that day, my purpose changed that moment I met the little rascal. So that's what I want you to think about when you are evaluating. So just a reminder, self evaluation is the seed of self mastery. So make time to reflect upon the three Ps progress, presence and purpose. Okay? The quality of a high performers relationships will define the quality of their life. So what are the quality of your relationships like right now? Are they all in good order? Are they flowing? Is there harmony? Is there respect? Is there curiosity, challenge? You know what's happening in those relationships? Because the quality of those relationships will define the quality of your life. So the question I want you to answer yourself right now is who most needs me to show up powerfully for them today? Who is it? I'm asking you right now who most needs you to show up powerfully for them today? Just think about them, picture them in your mind's eye. Who is that person? Okay. Reach out to them today. Be there for them today. Send them that message. Give them that call. Show up, be there Listen, be curious.

Last but not least, if you don't make time for health, you'd better make time for sickness. You heard me right. If you don't make time for health, you'd better make time for sickness. Mental and physical wellness are not just a nice to have, especially as a leader. When you're leading others, it's imperative. I often say rest is not a luxury, it's a necessity. So what are you doing right now, this week to look after your health? What are you putting in your body? What are you consuming? Are you moving your body? Are you stretching it? Are you showing yourself some respect, some appreciation? Look, you've got to make time for health. So those are four absolute non negotiables. Those are four secrets of high performers. From an individual perspective, vision precedes victory. Self evaluation is the seed of self mastery. Quality of your relationships, define the quality of your life. And if you don't make time for health, you'd better make time for sickness. High performers understand all of those concepts. They implement them, they develop them, they work on them. So my challenge is to you. What could you do today? Just one little thing to improve in each of those areas and you can keep it simple. Your vision, you could journal on it, get clearer on it. Your self evaluation, you could just give yourself a rating of 1 to 10. How did I show up this week and move towards what I'm heading towards? The quality of your relationships. Just reach out to somebody who you know really needs you today and for your health. Maybe drink some more water today or get to bed an hour earlier or go for that run you've been talking about for a while. Keep it simple but get started and keep moving. So guys, as I said, this is the very first of the the two part series. The next one will come next week when we look at the hidden secrets to high performing teams. Today was all about individuals. Next week we're going to look at high performing teams. And as I said, this is from an article that I wrote for Forbes recently. We'll put it in the show notes if you want to go and read the article, share it with some friends, pop it on your socials or LinkedIn if you think it would add value to people's lives. But between now I want to hear from you next and you hear from me next, get out there and lead your life on purpose.

Thanks for tuning in today and investing in your own personal leadership. Please hit that subscribe button and I'd love if you'd leave me a rating and review. I've got some amazing guests lined up for you in the coming weeks. And leaders. It's that time to get out there and lead your life on purpose.