A mentor once told me, the formula for success is:
- Clear Goals,
- Hard Work,
- Unwavering Focus
Most people fall short at step #2. Probably due in large part to a lack of focus. Or, simply a lack of motivation.
The thing of it is, goals mean nothing if you’re not taking the necessary steps to execute and fulfill them. What I’m talking about of course is execution. Execution is everything!
Put another way…
Sure, you have great ideas. But without the proper action, who cares?
How To Get Things Done:
- Get specific about your goals and develop a strong desire to accomplish them. Thing is, motivation is a big determining factor on whether you’ll have what it takes to achieve your goals. Without a strong desire to excel and get closer to achieving your goals, you’re going to get nowhere fast.
- Prioritize daily. The problem with being a creative is that your mind wanders from working on one thing to starting on another. That’s what I struggle with. It’s easy for me to get distracted. So learning to prioritize daily by using a simple To Do list and having a routine for what needs to get done now, helps. Learn to prioritize daily. What are 3-5 things that need to get done today? Once you’ve gotten those things done, you can move on and work on other things. Don’t wander until those 5 essential items are checked off of your list.
- Break things down into small, achievable tasks. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a large project so the secret is to break things down into smaller, achievable tasks. That leads to little victories. It feels good and it builds momentum.
- Stop thinking and start doing. This never fails… Once a day, someone will tell me, “I’m thinking about _______________.” And my response is always, “Stop thinking about it and just do it already.” After all, how are you going to know if it works or doesn’t work, if you don’t try? Eventually, you need to stop thinking about doing and just take action. Inaction takes you nowhere.
What are your goals for this year? What are you working on? What have you accomplished? What’s keeping you from getting closer to achieving your goals? How do you stay focused?
[Photo Credit: marc.thiele]
I found myself lying on the couch the other day listening to music and being a potato. Then I realized that I could probably still be listening to music but “actually” doing something.
That’s something I think we miss when trying to accomplish our goals, it’s not always that we need to prioritize but rather that we need to recognize that something’s we can actually incorporate together and still get enjoyment out of them.
Peter: I’ve been there, and you’re absolutely right. It’s one of those things you realize and have to act upon in the moment. It’s a decision that just takes place right then and there.
I listen to music and write all the time. Music is what motivates me to act. It’s what gets the creative in me flowing. Sometimes, I don’t want to write, but I force myself to anyway. By now, it’s just become a habit 🙂
Great meeting you man, thanks for the comment!