Are you succeeding so slowly you think you're failing—or failing so slowly you think you're succeeding?”

In this solo episode, Jay Papasan introduces the concept of quality inflation: the idea that the standards for average—and especially extraordinary—performance keep rising every year. Drawing inspiration from the Red Queen Hypothesis and his experience coaching high achievers, Jay breaks down what it takes to stay competitive in a world where standing still means falling behind.

We walk through five powerful strategies to help you not just survive but thrive in a high-growth environment: from “reading for what you need,” to modeling excellence, to building accountability into your life. Whether you’re early in your journey or already well into your career, these practical tools can help you identify your biggest opportunity for growth and take the first step toward it.

Challenge of the Week:

What’s your biggest opportunity for growth—the one you’ve been avoiding because it’s painful, uncomfortable, or ego-bruising? Choose one strategy from the episode (books, courses, mentor, group, coach) and take the first step toward improving it this week.

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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.

We talk about:

Why “change is a strategy, not a threat”

What the Red Queen Hypothesis can teach us about professional growth

Five ways to beat quality inflation in your industry

Links & Tools from This Episode:

Free Resources

Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email [email protected] or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing.

Produced by NOVA