How To Be As Good As Jerry Seinfeld (By Bill Stainton)

Are you better today than you were yesterday?

I don't mean physically. We all catch colds, we all have occasional aches and pains-particularly as we get older. No, I mean are you better at what you do? Are you better at your job? Are you better with your customers? Are you better with your team? Are you a better leader?

And, by the way, if you're already a superstar-if you're already at the top of your game-well, sorry. You can't hide behind that.

See, I used to think that once you got to be the best, you could take it easy-at least for a little while. And then I met Jerry Seinfeld.

I used to produce a comedy TV show, and Jerry was a guest on our show multiple times. The last time he was on our show, he did a routine that I'd seen him do in the clubs-but it was better this time. I couldn't quite figure out what was different, so after the show I asked Jerry about it.

"Yeah, I've been tweaking that one," Jerry said. "Here's what happened. I had a show a couple of months ago, and I had a friend videotape it. I was watching the tape back, and I just wasn't happy with that routine. It was working, but I knew I could make it better."

The conversation went on for a few minutes, but notice what he said: "It was working, but I knew I could make it better." Think about that. This is Jerry Seinfeld we're talking about. At the time, he was the hottest comedian in the country. He was making millions of dollars a year. He was selling out theaters and nightclubs. His TV show was heading into the stratosphere. And, as he said, that routine was already working! In fact, it was killing in the clubs!

And Jerry Seinfeld was still trying to make it better.

So here's my question to you: If Jerry Seinfeld, at the top of his game, is still trying to improve, then what's your excuse?

Every time Jerry Seinfeld gets on stage, he wants to be better than he was yesterday, and then better tomorrow than he was today. That's why he's Jerry Seinfeld, while thousands of others are just comedians.

What if that were your mantra as well? To be better today than you were yesterday, and even better tomorrow than you are today? What would you do differently? What would it look like?

I'm a keynote speaker. I speak on leadership and strategic creativity. A fellow speaker once told me, "You should be improving continuously, so that today's audience is cheated by tomorrow's performance."

This week I gave one of the best keynotes I've ever given. I've got another one coming up in a few days. And I want it to be better.

How about you? Do you want to be better tomorrow than you are today? Are you willing to do what it takes to get there? Are you committed to continuous improvement?

In other words: are you willing to be as good as Jerry Seinfeld?

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