THOUGHT LEADER
How Outperformers Optimize Resources
Written by Scott Welle I
n the hectic, fast-paced world of school trans- portation, performing with excellence isn’t just a feigning, casual interest—it’s a necessity. An obli- gation. The daily mission of safely and efficiently
transporting students requires the optimization of every resource available: mental clarity, physical energy and emotional resilience. These three components are the building blocks for peak performance, and when they’re aligned, you’ll know you’re bringing your “A game” to the field of play of school transportation…as well as life.
Here’s how outperformers optimize these three key resources:
Mental Resource Optimization: Clarity and Focus As motivational speaker and author Tony Robbins
says, “Where your focus goes, energy flows.” Mental sharpness is non-negotiable in school trans-
portation. From route planning to handling last-minute changes, cognitive overload and poor decision making can lead to errors and unnecessary stress.
Focus on the intersection: Outperformers channel their mental focus on the in- tersection of the “Things That Matter + Things They Can Control.” The Venn diagram, below, appears to be common sense, but it’s not always common practice. Focus too much on outcomes outside of your control and your mental resources are drained by stress, fear, worry and
anxiety (“I’m really nervous about the results from this new process.”) It’s giving too much weight to what might happen instead of what you’re doing. It’s okay to visit there, but you don’t want to live there. On the other hand, if you focus too much on tasks that
aren’t impactful, you’ll feel mentally overwhelmed and frustrated (“I have too much to do and not enough time to do it.”) Try trimming your lengthy to-do list into a lim- ited strategic priorities list. Then, watch what happens to your mental bandwidth.
Savor the small wins: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Especially when we’re faced with complex or daunting
tasks, it can be human nature to mentally disengage. Usually, this is because the enormity of the situation engulfs us, and we feel like we’re never going to get to the other side. It makes it hard to start and even harder to sustain.
The above image is from my book, “Outperform The
Norm: Daily Execution. Extraordinary Results.” The remedy is to separate the tall “ladder” into smaller rungs, steps, milestones, benchmarks, wins, etc. When you do this, you’ll instantly become more mentally motivated. As you start making progress, you’ll not just focus on how much farther you have to go; you’ll also be empow- ered by focusing on how far you’ve come!
66 School Transportation News • MARCH 2025
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