Treat Every Time Like It’s the First Time

A week ago I was serving on the event Crew at Tony Robbins’ Unleash The Power Within event. It was my tenth time serving on the Crew.

A friend sent me a text message saying,

I bet the UPW high is slightly less after you’ve done it 10 times.

Hardly. In fact, I had noticed for myself during our Crew Training that I was attentive, excited and taking notes like it was my first time.

Throughout the weekend, I approached the event with the enthusiasm and excitement of a first time Crew member, while retaining the certainty of a veteran.

Here are three reasons why I adopted the mindset of a first-timer:

Things Change

First, it’s been a little over a year since the last time I served on Crew. Things change. Maybe there are new processes and policies. At the very least, there are always new distinctions.

The minute we think you know something, we close ourselves off to hearing new information. By keeping a mindset of a first-timer and approaching every moment with curiosity and wonder, I kept myself open to those new lessons and nuances that propelled my learning and skill development.

Model Best Practices

Second, to model for new Crew members and set an example. Someone is always looking to us as an example of what to do or what not to do. Nobody needs to appoint you to be a leader for you to be a leader. In the Crew environment, we are all leaders. Even if I had served just once before, that’s enough for new Crew members to look to me as an example.

This is true even if they don’t know that I’ve served before. One lessons I’ve learned in my life is that simply by virtue of the fact that I carry myself with certainty, people with less certainty will look to me as an example. I want to set a good one.

It’s Always the First Time for Someone

Third, it was the first time. It was the first time with this group of Crew and this group of participants.

This is one of my favorite parts about serving on the Crew for an event. UPW is a consistent structure and content, but no two are the same. Consistency and variety: two of the most fundamental human needs.

The dynamic is different every time because the people are different. The weather is different. The environment is different. The energy is different.

That’s what makes it exciting every time.

Energy is contagious. For many participants and Crew it is their first time. I want to bring the same energy and enthusiasm as I had in my first Crew experience because my energy will shape their experience.

This is a lesson I learned from Tony. He has been doing these events for almost 40 years. Not only is he is filling the room each event, the rooms keep getting bigger. He not hanging on; he is growing his fan base each year.

He knows his stuff, but he still prepares for each event like it’s the first time. He puts himself in a condition to deliver each time he sets foot on stage because someone is always experiencing him for the first time.

That’s the secret to his longevity. He treats every time like the first time. He doesn’t take it for granted.

That’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart.

We know when someone is dialing it in and when they are connected and present.

In business, in relationships. Even in our interactions with ourselves.

Even if we have done something dozens of times before, each time is like the first time. Our external environment is different. Our internal environment is different. The energy is different.

Treat every time like it’s the first time. Because it is.

What’s a place in your life where you’ve been dialing it in? What might change in your business, your relationships, your results, if you treat every time like the first time?