How to Recognize If You Are a High Performer

Life can be magic. Or it can be accidental.

Most high performers I work with know the difference between the “magic” and the “accidental.”

I noticed that I can easily spot high achievers (a prerequisite for my job).

How?

They display three traits following a principle that guides their life.

The principle all high-performers share is “authorship.”

I noticed that high performers strongly focus on writing their life stories. They see their life through this lens:

• You’re the hero of your narrative, not because you’re infallible, but because you willingly step into roles that require you to confront and overcome immense challenges.

• Your life unfolds as a series of trials, each challenge, and hardship representing another chapter in your ongoing story. 

• The people around you become significant characters in this narrative, and every obstacle is an opportunity for growth—not just for yourself but for everyone involved.

High performers avoid a common trap that writer Milan Kundera perfectly describes:

"You can’t blame a novel for being fascinated by the mysterious happenings of co-incidences, making a coherent story. But you can blame humans for being blind to their occurrence in everyday life." 


Kundera points out that most people fail to see the meaning of events for their life’s story. 

I noticed that most “High Performers “ don’t fall into this trap:

→ They see destiny, whereas others see coincidence. 

‍
A story unfolds before their eyes.

I can spot a “high performer” because she exhibits three traits better than the rest of the room.

Here are the three traits:

1. You Position Yourself at the Epicenter of the Problem

You don’t shy away from challenges but actively seek them out. You place yourself in situations where the stakes are high, often becoming the “eye of the storm” in a metaphorical tornado.

This isn’t about creating problems for drama’s sake but choosing almost insurmountable battles. The sheer scale of these problems ensures that solving them requires not just your effort but also the mobilization of teams and resources and often the rethinking of existing paradigms.

By embracing the chaos, you orchestrate solutions others might deem impossible.

Centering yourself on the problem allows you to become the axis around which everything else revolves, ensuring you remain in control of both the narrative and the outcomes.

2. You relentlessly Focus on What Is Within Your Control

Amid challenges, you maintain an extraordinary focus on what you can control. While others might be paralyzed by opinions, judgments, or uncontrollable variables, you hone in on actionable items within your sphere of influence.

This focus isn’t just a survival tactic; it’s a strategic approach. By zeroing in on controllable factors, you reduce the overwhelming complexity of problems and maintain clarity and direction.

This trait sets those who achieve great things apart from those sidetracked by external noise. It’s a form of mental resilience critical for navigating the unpredictable terrain of leadership.

3. You Regulate Your Ego in high-stakes situations like no other

The most subtle yet powerful trait you can possess is the ability to regulate your ego.

You grasp that clinging to a fixed identity or a particular narrative about yourself can be limiting. You can set aside your ego when necessary, allowing you to adapt to new information, pivot strategies, and build trust within your teams.

By detaching from your ego, you foster open-mindedness and cultivate a culture of trust and cooperation. It’s a leadership superpower that enables you to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics without being hindered by pride or rigid self-concepts.

A winning formula: Nurturing these principles

Most high-performers are not aware that they exhibit these traits innately:

• You Position Yourself at the Epicenter of the Problem

• You relentlessly Focus on What Is Within Your Control

• You Regulate Your Ego in high-stakes situations like no other

Yet, even when you are not aware of it, these internalized principles will likely have made you a high performer.

While these traits might seem inherent to most extreme high performers I have worked with, they need cultivation.

If they are not being nurtured, they can wither.

The three principles of High performers are not just a framework for understanding high performers.

They are also a blueprint for any CEO aspiring to achieve significant impact.

I recommend putting them up center in your journey:

• By placing yourself in challenging situations, focusing on what you can control, and regulating your ego, you can cultivate these qualities through experience, training, and reflection.

• By embracing these characteristics, you can craft your own powerful narrative, stepping into the role of the hero in your life's ongoing story.

• By internalizing these principles, you continue to lead with purpose, resilience, and adaptability—qualities that define success and inspire those around you to reach their highest potential.

Inspirations: This writing emerged following long conversations with Engin Ayaz (CEO  ATÖLYE) and Bernd Kessel (CEO Kessel & Kessel), whose thinking inspired these principles. 

Yours,

P.S. Leading is hard.

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