The Power to get Stuff Done!

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Monday October 27 2008

Welcome to yet another shiny new week

The end of this week sees 5/6ths of 2008 come to an end. Next week we get to seriously start the process of getting your plans and intentions for the New Year set down so that you can guarantee you’ll fulfill them.

To get this week off to a fine start with the planning season in mind, we call on our good friend Philip Humbert to set the tone. You’re going to like what he has to share.

Also, check in and see how our friends at Daily Insight are kicking off their week. It’s bound to be interesting.

The Power to Get Stuff Done
by Philip Humbert

Consultants and motivational speakers have talked about the importance of written goals at least since Benjamin Franklin. The 19th century Psychologist and philosopher, William James, talked about clear goals, and Napoleon Hill wrote about them in "Think And Grow Rich" in the 1930's. Of course you should choose clear personal goals, write them down, and stay the course!

And that's the rub. The daily grind of "staying the course."

We all have goals of some sort. Some are written, some are vague, some are almost dream-like, but we all have things we long for. The rub is in making them happen.

Almost everyone I talk with--large audiences where I'm the keynote speaker, small corporate trainings, and individual clients--they ALL talk about distractions. They ALL talk about interruptions and daily frustrations.
They ALL talk about how busy they are and how little time they have.

And yet winners find the "secret" of doing first things first.

The winners in life have exactly the same amount of time and the same resources everyone else has. They work hard (like everyone else) and yet there is a huge difference in their RESULTS. In the end, winners come out on top because they have a SYSTEM for choosing their top priorities and sticking to them.

Here are a couple of practical suggestions, starting with the most fundamental truth I know: You must decide what you want in life. Life is full of options, and each of us has the responsibility to clarify our choices and pursue our dreams. No one can do that for you. Decide what you really want in life!

Most people don't think carefully about their most important goals. They have goals that are vague or have never been discussed and coordinated with family members. Be clear. Talk it over with the people in your life and focus on what you truly want.

But then, here are my suggestions for making specific daily progress:

1. REVIEW your goals frequently. Brian Tracy and Napoleon Hill recommended reading them every day, and they were smart people. I do a thoughtful review of my own goals at least once a month, and briefly re-write them every morning. If you aren't making progress on your goals, the first step is to review and commit to them more often.

2. Work with a TEAM. Talk with your family. Review your priorities with your boss, partners, or teammates. Get together with a master-mind group every week. Talk about your goals with people who will support you and who have the resources to help you succeed!

3. PLAN your day and do it each evening so your mind can prepare for the new day while you sleep. What has to be done tomorrow? What problems will come up and how will you deal with them? What is your one major target for tomorrow? Decide the night before.

4. Each MORNING, confirm your daily targets. I write my three most important tasks on a 3x5 card each morning. I do it with my morning coffee. I think it helps.

For most of us, the key to daily action is a SYSTEM that keeps us focused and brings us back to our most important goals. On our own we are too easily distracted. We lose focus and waste time. Instead, use a SYSTEM that gets you back on course like an auto-pilot.

Then, trust the system and get to work!