There is not a person on the face of the earth that does not want to get more done, or better said, to have another day in the week to get more done. Alternatively, perhaps that other day would be to lounge, laugh and luxuriate. An eighth day in the week. Only if. Then, you would want a ninth; I am quite sure.
First came CLARITY where we get direction. Next came ENERGY where we find the impetus to create momentum. Moreover, now, with PRODUCTIVITY, we optimize getting the things done that matter the most, and that are the hardest.
There are tips, and there are tricks, and there are time management techniques. There are a million of them. However, none of these matter and none of them will work unless you understand and come to terms with a few fundamental concepts.
When we feel our most PRODUCTIVE, we are in a place where we are doing the most important things. Through heightened levels of CLARITY, we know where we are going with absolute conviction. In considering NECESSITY, we have internal and external drivers that remind us why we strive to grow and create through sacrifice and delayed gratification. With a focus on our ENERGY, we maintain momentum in a consistent, continual path of mental acuity. Now you can get to work.
Answer the question; for each of your biggest, most clear goals, what are the five big moves to get there? Say you want to start a non-profit. The five big moves might be:
- Define, in several ways, the problem you want to solve.
- Build collateral that illustrates with vivid imagery the efficacy of your approach.
- Determine the need geographically
- Understand all of your competitors
- Find sources for grant money
With this kind of added CLARITY by charting five big moves toward a project, we can now focus our days and follow Stephen Covey’s advice that the “Main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
Each of these “moves” requires lead behaviors that can be MEASURED weekly. If you cannot track it, you cannot attack it, and you cannot crack it. Lagging results are the realization of the goal, and completion cannot be measured weekly. For example, if one of your five big moves is to find five new clients, what you must commit to and measure weekly is the number of quality conversations you have, not the number of clients you land, because that takes time.
At the center of PROCRASTINATION is a kind of FEAR; of LOSS, PROCESS, or OUTCOME. Plant a SEED of FEAR, and it leads to inaction, which leads to inexperience, which leads to inability, which leads back to FEAR. To stop the FEAR from growing, you must break the cycle with action. A great book which helps immensely to break these fear cycles is “The 5-Second Rule,” by Mel Robbins.
Short Video Review of The 5-Second Rule
CLARITY, ENERGY, PRODUCTIVITY all undergirded by NECESSITY represent 4 of the six habits of high performance. Next week, we will dig into COURAGE. Until then, oh seeker of the Golden Road of Unlimited Personal Growth Devotion, I bid you adieu.
