Everywhere you look, everyone is saying that they know the keys to success. Dig deeply in what they say and it all turns out to equal the same thing. It all comes down to the way you decide to spend your time. Are your actions taking you closer to or further away from your intended future?
What will your future look like? It will either be the result of the actions you take today or the time you'll wish you had done the things you are not doing now. It's just that simple. We all put our efforts into what we feel is important, so if hanging out is more important than making a call on a prospective customer - why would we be surprised with the results?
Setting priorities then is the key. There is never enough time to do everything but there is always time to do the things that are vitally important.
Setting priorities begins with deciding what we really want in life and then organizing the time that we have and the activities we undertake so that we do the things that are the most valuable to us, that take us closer to our objectives.
Coaches are trained to ask the question, "What's important?" and then sticking with it until their clients dig it out from the recesses of their minds. So, ask yourself the same question and keep at it around everything you put on your list of things to do.
You may find that some of the things you are doing are not important at all. You are doing them because you are doing them - not a very effective way to manage your life is it?
Ask yourself, what are my big goals, what is important to me - today and in the future? What exactly is it that you want to have or be or do over the next five or ten years? Stick with it until you have a list of really important stuff.
Then ask yourself what price you are willing to pay in terms of sacrifice in order to have what you want, fulfil your potential?
Once you've clearly decided on your goals for the future you are ready to weigh and balance the things you want against the time and resources available to attain them. You can now set priorities with regard to what you will do and how you will invest your time and money. In other words just what will be necessary for you to do to achieve these goals.
With your larger long term priorities in order you can more easily decide on short term priorities. Begin with a pad of paper, a pencil, and you. And have a large eraser handy while you are going through this exercise.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed with too many things to do and too little time in which to do them, what I do at least, is to take a few minutes to list all the tasks that need to be accomplished. Since there is never going to be enough time to do everything - there is always time to do the most important things. Do the #1 thing on your list and stick with it until it's done, and done right.
Peter Drucker once said that efficiency is doing things right but effectiveness is doing the right things. Maximum effectiveness then is doing the right things and doing them right. And this requires thought.
While you're at it - thinking about the implications of what you've just read, post your comments for the rest of us. Share your experiences here and add to the richness of the subject.
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266
Date Published :
Dec 1 2008