Success means knowing what you are going to do, when, and for how long.
It means you do what you know you need to do, when you need to do it.
It means you control the game.
And it means you know the “why”!
Yet so many of us do not control the game and know the why.
So many of us are reactive instead of proactive.
We start the day with good intentions, but we never finish it that way.
Today I want to examine 3 keys to help you in making this happen in your life.
If you want to take a look at our product, 90 Days to Your Success, just click the link below.
Listen to Coach Manny discuss this process right now on his podcast. Just click here.
1/ What
What are you going to do today?
This is the first part of our 90 days process – we help you build a plan for each week.
This gives you a list of the things you are planning to do this week.
Now each evening you look at the list and determine what things you are going to get done tomorrow.
I know it sounds so simple – yet it causes pain for so many.
If you have a meeting – no problem, they are easy.
But if you have to get something done, could you do it another day?
What are you going to do on this list and tomorrow?
If for some great reason you actually do finish everything on your daily list, you can go back and get more stuff from the weekly list.
When I asked Jane to do this, her response to me was simple, “I am going to go into the office in the morning, look at my list and see what I need to do.” The success factor that we try and teach all of you is simply this – if you put the list together the night before, something happens as you sleep… you subconsciously plan it out. Then you get so much more done.
Action item: Every evening, go through your weekly list and pick what you are going to do tomorrow. Don’t pick too much, but be fair with yourself.
If you have the 90 Days to Your Success program, this is very easy to do.
2/ When.
When today are you going to do each of the things on your list?
Scheduling the day seems to make people so uncomfortable.
Why?
We all grew up with schedules.
If you have ever been in the military, you understand this very well.
If you have ever been an organized sports or arts participant, you know this very well.
Why don’t you do it for your day?
You do it for meetings.
You do it for appointments.
If you schedule your work the same way you schedule meetings, you will be amazed at what happens. Also not just scheduling, but committing the time in your mind and on paper.
You should have your day laid out and know exactly what you are going to do tomorrow and when you are going to do it.
Yes, you might have to build in some catch-up blocks for the unexpected. Nonetheless, you still get most of it done.
Stop saying you can’t.
If you use our 90 Days to Your success Process – this piece is part of it.
I ask Sam about doing this and he said, “but my day is so crazy that I would never stick to it.” My response was, “you can get things done two ways, you control it, or someone else does.” I don’t want anyone else controlling my day – do you?
Assignment: for each day prepare schedule the night before and commit to it.
3/ Why
Why are you doing it?
This is the key to actually making this work for you.
We fill our task list with all these things but many times we do not understand why we put them on there. Then we leave them on there!
It is key that for each thing on your list, you understand why you are doing it.
Yes, it might be simply because the boss has to have it.
However, many of you are working for yourself, so the only boss is you – hello?
If you cannot find a reason for doing something, then dump it.
If you use this process with your to-do list, you might just be surprised at how much of the list goes away.
One key to effective time management is to do the highest priority items first.
If you ask why, you might just get those priority items toward the top of the list.
Amazing.
Again, when I asked Jean to do this to her list, she simply looked at me and said, “it is on my list so I have to do it, the why is because it is on my list.” Don’t get sucked into this. If it was important yesterday, that whole reason may be gone today.
Your assignment:
For your list, ask the “why” question for each item.
You might be able to delegate it.
Or better, dump it.
The key is to help you get much more done.
In one of our upcoming articles, we will be discussing how to make your 1-year goals in 3 90 Day to Your Success blocks.
Then what would we do in the final one?
That one is all profit.
To learn more about 90 Days to Success, watch this video
Go to this page.
Libsyn Link to podcast.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/targetedleadgeneration/Success_Means_Taking_Control_of_Your_Time.mp3