We constantly think that the person that is going to do all productivity things, like the 5 productivity hacks that you probably read on LinkedIn that told you what do, is going to be a different person tomorrow just like that...by magic
But tomorrow is a fictional land where 99% of all humans are actually the same person
So we think of this future version of ourselves, and we say -
I’m going to be this person, I’m gonna go to the gym, I’m going to finish all my tasks… but when that moment comes, which is actually now, you’re the same person...
The thing is that we don't need more information in our brain...and in today's times… everybody has a productivity hack…or a tip, a trick, or that one book that is the best, the perfect app to be productive or that perfect podcast that will explain to you…
How you should be more productive…
Hell… I’ve even fallen into the trap of creating content and explaining to you how to be productive….
Done, tutorials, and lives about it… and has that changed you??
The fact is that you don't need more information than you already have
And what I’ve learned mentoring entrepreneurs, CEO’s, companies, small business owners is how to change and to move with technology. They don't need me to come in and tell them more stuff… they know what they gotta do…
Like you know what you need to do to be the people you are…
The question is
Will you do them?
So at a certain point you need to face reality
It's you versus you…
And I’m not sure the version of you that you think you want to be and the version of you that acts in a way that you’re not so happy with…
I’m not sure that those two can honestly be the same continuous self over time .
Actually we might be thinking about this wrong… thinking we could be the same person now and then at 2am in the morning…
Lol
You’ll see that at 2 o'clock in the morning I will not be the same person at an after party…
Most entrepreneurs go and look for tutorials, self-help books, etc...
I was reading all these things, and my procrastination was through the roof… and I honestly started to self loathe… I knew what I needed to do… and instead of doing it…
I was reading more…
And I was building up this anxiety, and I was creating all these expectations of what I was supposed to do and never ever delivering on that expectation…
And we ultimately want to be able to put that focus exactly where you need it, in the way you need it...and not use your mind and try to accumulate more useless information in my brain and avoid it.
Most people think that not having enough time to be productive it's an excuse that is enough. But the fact is that if you have that thought in your mind you won’t do it.
Look at Einstein, Clint Eastwood, Marie Curie, Margaret Thatcher; they all had time to do whatever they wanted to do. They only had 24 hours just like you and i..
But, How long does it take to be creative? 0 time…
How long to have a creative idea? 0 time…
But most people never realize that for people to have enough time you need space…
You could end up having all the time in the world and not use it correctly. And if that happens to you, what’s going to happen with the time you have?
Time is not the issue, you need space, and you need room to think.
So how do you do that?
You need to create a process because it won't happen on its own…
Key #1 capture your thinking - get it out of your head… it's simple but I know that a wow huge habit to change…
Anything and everything that’s meaningful or potentially meaningful write it down…
These can be from
Hire a new staff person
Publish book
Finalize budget
Learn Spanish
Update your will
Create system of operations
Organize event
And the moment you actually start doing that process you get more control and perspective with what you’re doing and what you need to do… and what you should be doing.
And of course you need key #2 make an outcome/action decision… because once you see that list, you’ll still need to do more thinking…
Most to-do lists are incomplete lists with unclear things…
What you see on to-do lists are things like
budget
Mom
Dog
Babysitter
Sure they all represent for you to do something around them, and you need to do something about it…
But what exactly is the work you need to do??
Which takes me to the 2nd thing you need to do, and that is to take those things you have identified that are screwing with you… and you need to make some specific decisions what does that work demand…
And there are 2 key questions you need to ask about everything on your list..
1 - What outcome am I committed to finish? So that you can define what’s the target, what’s your north?
What’s the project about the budget?
What needs to happen to the dog?
What do you need to do for your promotions?
And identify those, and then you need to ask yourself
2 - what’s the very next step I need to take to move forward on that if you’re going to move on it?
It's about outcome and actions
What are we trying to accomplish? And how can we distribute resources to make it happen?
I guarantee you that if you sat down and take a few of the things off your list and make these decisions:
What’s the project? And write it down
What’s the action step, write it down
You will feel enormously more involved with your world.
And off course you’re going to feel great doing that…
but you’re going to hit a brick wall… because you’re going to be looking at that… and I’m sure that most of you have at least 30 to 100 projects right now… and you probably have from 150 to 200 next actions right now…
So you’re going to very quickly drown when you look at that…unless you start putting it all together…
So, in all of that you’re going to need key #3 use the right plan…
the right plan of all the projects
The right plan for all the actions you have
And they're probably other plans you need to have…
Like what’s my job?
The key areas of focus and accountability
What are the things in my personal life that I need to watch and manage and take care of on a regular basis…
So, you need to build plans for all this so that you can step back and see it from a distance and see what your life is involved in, so that you can then make good intuitive decisions with what to do.
For sure you’re not going to become the productivity ninja yet…and that’s OK
It doesn't take you long to get to where you want to get about this.
It's actually pretty simple…
Write stuff down
Decide what you want, and take action
Get yourself a plan so that you can step back and take a look at it…
And then basically you use that plan to decide…
“Ok here’s the direction I want to go”
You make a short and long plan that you’re moving to… and then on a regular basis you need to regroup…
“Let’s clean up again, refocus, for the next phase”
So, my wish to you, is that for those adventures, projects, tasks coming towards you, to take maximum advantage of them, find your own ways to be fully committed.
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