Don’t Play It Small In 2020

With 2020 right around the corner, it is time to start (if you haven’t already) gearing up toward your goals.

First, let’s start at the beginning. If your pursuit of success has not been adding up the way you would like, it is because an essential ingredient is missing from the equation. 

For most, time mismanagement is the hidden suspect behind them not accomplishing their aims. For others, it is the inability to get their dreams out of their heads that prevents them from achieving their dreams. For another group, the absence of success is directly connected to the avoidance of execution or poorly executed strategies. 

Let us examine those three elements (time, written goals, execution) a bit closer. 

Time. As we all know, time is an inelastic and limited resource that expires every day. In essence, we have less time than we think. So how can we do a better job accounting for time that will allow us to achieve our heart’s desires? The first step is to AUDIT how you spend each day. Once you have audited your day, the next step is to implement a time management system that is divided into four quadrants: (1) Work; (2) Goals; (3) Leisure; and (4) Rest. Keep in mind, the more time you dedicate to one quadrant is the less time you will have for the others. The takeaway is to do less of what is not working for you and do more of what adds value to your life.

Get it out of your head. The key here is to capture your commitments—the goals that truly matter to you. An unwritten goal has no place to go—it has no direction and will eventually become like a passing thought—here one minute and gone the next. A goal that stays in your mind is the equivalent of holding seeds in your hand—hoping the seeds will blossom into trees. Your goals only become useful when they are planted—when they are written down and clearly defined.

Execution. When it comes to success, whether personal or professional, 99 percent of a success’ outcome is tied to execution, and 1 percent is only the idea. Ideas get you applause, while execution gets you access—access to influencers, strategic alliances, and capital. Going back to the planting analogy, you would do well to remember that your harvest is always in direct proportion to your production. So plant many seeds and plant them often. Plant food crops that are worth eating.