508. 5 Strategies to Beat Quality Inflation and Stay Ahead
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Jun 2, 2025
Explore the concept of quality inflation and why rising standards mean you must continuously evolve. Learn how the Red Queen Hypothesis illustrates the necessity of adaptation for success. Discover five powerful strategies to not just remain competitive, but to excel, including reading for what you need and modeling excellence. The importance of accountability and mentorship in personal growth shines through. Challenge yourself to face your biggest opportunity for growth and take actionable steps toward improvement this week.
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insights INSIGHT
Quality Inflation Explained
Quality inflation means the standards for average and extraordinary performance rise every year.
The Red Queen Hypothesis teaches that one must continually evolve just to maintain position.
insights INSIGHT
Red Queen Hypothesis in Growth
The Red Queen Hypothesis states species must evolve just to keep their place.
Similarly, professionals must continuously improve to stay competitive and avoid extinction.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Be the Competition to Win
Gary Keller asked how to become the company that might put us out of business.
Jay advises asking how to become the person who might take your job or your boss one day.
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In 'Through the Looking-Glass', Alice returns to the whimsical world she first encountered in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', this time by stepping through a mirror into a world where everything is reversed or inverted. She encounters bizarre and illogical situations, engaging in conversations with peculiar characters such as the Red Queen and Humpty Dumpty. The Red Queen's race, where one must run as fast as possible merely to stay in the same place, serves as a metaphor for the futility of endless effort without progress. The book is filled with wordplay, satire, and philosophical undertones, often exploring themes of identity, logic, and the nature of reality. Alice's journey through this looking-glass world leads her to become a queen herself, signifying her growth and maturation.
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
The ONE Thing