How to Get From a 7 to a 10?

How to Get From a 7 to a 10?

By Steve Pavlina

A frequent(ˈfrēkwənt) question I ask when trying to improve some area of my life is: If I were to rate(rāt) this area’s current performance on a scale(skāl) of 1-10, with 1 being the worst imaginable(iˈmaj(ə)nəbəl) and 10 being the best imaginable, where am I right now?

Very often I find that areas get stuck somewhere in the 6-8 range, usually(ˈyo͞oZHo͞oəlē) at a 7. A 7 seems very close to a 9 or 10, but often a 7 is a local maximum(ˈmaksəməm) — you can’t get any higher by continuing to follow the same path that got you to that 7 in the first place(plās). You’re already at a peak. The only way to reach a true 9 or 10 is to climb(klīm) back down (sometimes back to a 2 or 3) and take a new path.

How many times do people get stuck at a 7 and remain(riˈmān) there for years? Is your job a 7? Your health? Your relationship? Your family life? Your self-esteem(iˈstēm)? Is it likely to improve much if you keep heading down the same path you’ve been on for the past year?

A 7 is pretty(ˈpritē) good. At this level you feel generally content. It’s OK, fine, acceptable(akˈseptəbəl), satisfactory(ˌsatisˈfakt(ə)rē).

A 7 is above average(ˈav(ə)rij). Compared to most people, you’d say your 7 isn’t bad at all. You feel like you’re ahead of the pack.

People often get to a 7 and then coast for a long time. At a 2 or 3, you know something is very wrong, and you’re probably driven to action. But a 7 is like a warm bath(baTH). It’s cozy(ˈkōzē) and non-threatening(ˈTHretn-iNG). You feel fairly(ˈfe(ə)rlē) safe at a 7.

So why are you stuck there? Are you waiting for everyone else to catch(kaCH,keCH) up?

Getting past a 7 is hard. It can take more effort to get past a 7 than it takes to reach a 7 in the first place. Some people would complain(kəmˈplān) that it takes too long to get past a 7. But the truth is that the time is going to pass anyway. Even if it takes 5-10 years, you might as well get yourself to a higher level within that time, since the years are going to pass anyway.

Whenever I feel I’ve gotten stuck at a 7, I stop and ask myself: What would a 10 look like?

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https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/07/how-to-get-from-a-7-to-a-10/