Would you be surprised to know that R.A. Dickey spent 15-plus years off and on between the minors and the big show, rattling around and going nowhere? Encountered depression and personal demons telling him he wasn’t good enough? That he took the path of last resort, throwing knuckleballs, because he was at the end of the line? Or how about J.K. Rowling? Today, named the most influential woman in Britain, she had an undesirable childhood, suffered clinical depression and lived on state aid. Only after she was successful in getting Harry Potter published … well, as you know, the rest is history.

These two people are very public examples of going from the basement to the penthouse. It is likely you and/or your business is far from the basement. You are probably nicely ensconced on the first or second floor. What would it take for you to get to the penthouse? Let’s apply a few lessons learned from Dickey and Rowling (and observed in clients).

Listen

We are guided by our own ideas, baked in through years of experience. We are in our comfort zones doing what we know how to do. But what if that isn’t working? We have to listen. We have to listen to the results and be open to what they tell us. If it is not working, trying harder may not fix it. It may be time to adjust your perceptions, your focus, your skills or even your market to figure out what WILL work. Sometimes I think the hardest part is saying, “I am no longer sure,” and being open to the feedback of those who you are trying to serve.

Commit

It sounds so simple. So why aren’t we all the physical specimens we set our sights on becoming every New Year’s Day? Our intentions don’t last. Like everything else, we have to be willing to put considerable effort into it. You may know that 212 degrees is the temperature required to boil water. It doesn’t happen at 211 degrees. Sometimes the commitment takes considerable effort–maybe even more than we are willing to give. How much ARE you willing to give?

R.A. Dickey stayed in professional ball long past what many might have because it was his dream and he wasn’t ready to give it up. With the help of his wife, they managed to take care of their family of six–barely. J.K. Rowling was on state aid and, in her words, “as poor as you can get without being homeless.” How important is it to you and what are you willing to do?

Change

The biggest commitment you may need to make is to do something differently. R.A. Dickey learned how to throw a knuckleball because his fastball wasn’t going to work. Do you have any idea how long it takes to throw a knuckleball–physically and mentally? Neither did I until I read Dickey’s book, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball (which is a great read). How about J.K. Rowling? She had to focus on the perfect story inside her instead of writing on a commissioned basis for other publications and go on welfare to do it. If we are to achieve greatness, it is likely we won’t do so from where we stand today. The vision may require us to do something entirely different or modify how we think. In working with our clients, we usually start at the point of truth, not experience or perceptions, which become outdated. If you are strong enough to be willing to embrace real change, then you have a shot at the penthouse.

Break Through

If you are going to all of this effort, dare to think really big. R.A. Dickey just wanted to be in the majors, but then he won the Golden Glove. J.K. Rowling wanted to get the story out that was in her head and became the “most Influential Woman in Britain,” named so by leading magazine editors. If we are going to give something our supreme effort, why stop short of spectacular? Why settle for good when you can break through to great? Too many companies get excited about being 10 percent bigger–what about two times as big? One of my clients, in the cybersecurity business, WILL grow by unimaginable numbers in the next few years. They have the vision, the passion, the skills and the ear of a great strategic partner. They are thinking BIG. To some extent, we limit ourselves by thinking modestly instead of thinking break through, of thinking about changing the world—or at least our niche in it. Challenge yourself to take your goals and 10x them. It will cause you to dramatically rethink what is possible and ignite passion enough to rocket you to the penthouse!

By listening to your passion and your audience, by committing to accepting nothing less than the very best you or your organization can achieve, by changing what you do or how you do it, and by setting your sights high—you CAN achieve great things. The only thing in your way is the “comfort zone.”