Over the past week or so, I have heard many people discuss the “restarting” of our economy. Many folks talk about getting back to “normal.” I discussed last week about how leaders can be the change agent of the future “normal,” this week, I want to discuss the things you should think about from a personal perspective.
Many of us have changed our daily routines and have adopted new habits. These new habits hopefully will prove to make us healthier, smarter, and more successful. It has been my experience that to be successful in any goal, a relentless dedication to that goal must happen every day. Before we get back to “normal,” review my steps to success below. I have used them time after time and have helped me achieve success every time I have followed these steps.
Set the goal.
The first step is to set a goal. Dig deep within yourself. What do you want to accomplish in the next three days, three weeks, then three months? Each one should build on or be a step towards the next goal in your timeline. The three days should complete a part of the three-week, and that should be a significant milestone for your three-month goal. Write down those goals. Then focus only on the objectives you will have to achieve in the next three days. Set aside time each day to work on that goal. Now go and complete it—each day for the next three days.
Consistent effort.
Wake up each morning and review the goal you have written down for the three days. You will find that if you start to work on an objective, doing that will set you on the path to completion. If you fail to focus your effort daily to accomplish the goal, you will get distracted and fail to complete it. One failure will have a snowball effect on the next objective.
Avoid the “Make-Up” Lie
One of the ways people fall into a snowball effect in a project, is they tell themselves they will “make-up” and double their effort the next day. Once you are off track, human nature usually assesses the growing mountain of incomplete work and will figure out a way not to do it. There will be many excuses anyone can fabricate not to do the job. But there is only one reason to do it, success.
Small bites.
Making small advances towards your goal every day will provide you with a sense of accomplishment. It will lead to the completion of what you have set out to do. Attempting to “make-up” or “pull an all-nighter” will make your path more difficult and less attainable. There is nothing better than knocking out a small part of a goal each day only to look back after a time and see what great strides you have made. It is rare anything changes overnight. Significant and meaningful changes happen in small segments. Do not try to “build Rome in a day.”
Review and Revise.
At the end of each segment of time, review your goal. If needed, revise it. There will be times when you may need to add another three-day or three-week milestone. There may have been a step you forgot or did not know about when planning your longer goal. Do not fret that is all a part of the process. To stay on course, you need to review what you had written down at the beginning. Failure to do this step will knock you off course and lead down a path of re-work. Set aside time to take this vital step.
Final Thoughts.
As the “new world” develops over the next months, do not abandon your new ways of doing things. Double down on them and create your success point by following my simple steps above. These are not Earth-shattering methods. However, simplicity typically is the most successful path to achieving significant change.
Review the great things you have accomplished since the quarantined world started. What would you like to continue to achieve? What new things can you now put on your goal list? If you feel you did not accomplish anything, now is the time to set a goal. Please take a minute and craft a simple plan following my steps. Get started today, and do not delay.
Other reads that can help.
The good reads I have listed below can help accomplish your goals:
