March 2012

This article is part strategy, part productivity, and part self-reflection.  For, all three components are truly necessary if you plan to create a super successful, satisfying business.  Taken at a very basic level — do you know what you want to do?  You may answer — “Sure, I want to be a successful home business owner, a well-respected leader, and someone who spreads a valuable service globally.”  Or, you may have some other similar answer.  In any case, that is a high level answer to ‘What do you want to do?’

On a more granular level, do you really know what you need to do to reach that goal?  This is where things can get a bit trickier.  Having the end goal in mind is critical, yet knowing the steps to get there is equally important.  For many people, this is their downfall.  Without a clear understanding of the milestones to reach your big goal, how can you possibly expect to achieve it?  You need a map.  A blueprint.  A clear strategy.

Many mentors advocate creating a ‘To Do’ list each day.  In fact, many recommend creating it the evening before, so that you have a clear idea of your day’s structure before it begins.  Surely David Allen’s, Getting Things Done can be considered the bible for such a philosophy.  There’s no doubt that such strategies can incredibly increase your productivity.
However, there are many others who feel this can fill your days with activity, while you may be missing the ‘big picture’.  I can certainly see how this can happen.  I caution you to not fall into this trip.  Don’t get all caught up in filling your days with activity, thereby fooling yourself that you’re being productive.  Rather than measure yourself by activities accomplished, it is far more effective to measure yourself by results attained. For, that is really what matters.

Another strategy that some experts promote is the concept of creating a “Not To Do” list.  When you first hear this, you may think – “How foolish!”  For, I bet you believe in the universal concept of ‘what you focus on expands’, right?  Well, I can understand that, since that was my initial reaction also.  However, once you dig a bit deeper, you’ll begin to understand the wisdom here.  This is not a daily ‘Not To Do’ list.  Rather, it is one you create yearly, perhaps monthly, possibly weekly.  It is simply a list you write when you are reflecting on  your personal behavior.  Surely, you have some habits, tendencies, thoughts, or behaviors that don’t serve you optimally?  It can be helpful to become aware and reflect upon what those precisely are.  If you actually write this down, it can become a powerful tool to help loosen the grip of these not-so-useful behaviors.

So, what could possibly be on your Not To Do list?  Here are some examples from others:  don’t skip my morning success ritual, don’t snack after 7:30 PM, don’t go all morning without drinking water, don’t get sucked into the negative office gossip, don’t check my email more than X times a day, etc… You get the idea.  Creating such a list can help you sharpen your focus and keep your true attention on exactly what it is you want to achieve.

By incorporating these ideas and concepts into your daily routine, you position yourself more strategically to truly accomplish your goals.  By focusing on daily achievement, followed by weekly achievement, you can indeed make steady progress.  Knowing where you are going, and what specific milestones or bridges you need to pass, is a critical key to success of many people before you.  Happy journeying!