Month: September 2021

We all have goals in life, both big and small, but how many of us set and consciously work on achieving those goals? We admire those who set goals for themselves and meet them, not only do they do it once, they tend to do it over and over again! This could be YOU, if that’s something you really want and you’re willing to work at it. No one said it would be easy, but they didn’t say it was impossible either. What is it that you really want? What do you have to do to get there? Like most high achievers, you’ll find that “achieving” is a mindset, a lifestyle almost. That once you check off one goal, you’ll be searching for what’s next.

So, what are the secrets of these high achievers? Is it just luck? Do they have a process? What can you do daily that will push you forwards and help you thrive?

1. Make a decision: rule number one of achieving is that you can’t achieve what you don’t know. Clearly define what it is you are looking to achieve and set a timeline against it. Quantify the goal so that it’s easy to determine whether and when you reach the target. For example, “I want to sell X number of products each day.”, when you hit this target consistently, you know your goal will have been met and you can move to the next “to achieve” on your list. Frustration comes from vague goal setting where a goal is not measurable. Reverting back to creating a SMART goal may seem a bit of an old school way of doing things now, but it’s still the best way to see results.
2. Stay focused: learning to control your mind can be tricky at the best of times but training your mind not to wander, to stay focused on the journey, the small wins of each day and of the outcome will allow you to reach your goal more efficiently. If you are like many, you will have 1000 new ideas every day and will have to work very hard to get into the habit of asking yourself whether that idea contributes to the bigger picture. Does realizing that idea take me closer to where I want to be? If the answer is no, then it should be parked and if yes, look at how it can be incorporated into the wider plan. Know your limitations, you may be a high achiever, but you are also only human. Rest when your body requires it, switch off when your mind requests it and create balance where possible.
3. Get familiar with consistency and persistency:  Consistency, I believe, comes as part of your genes. I know many people who are naturally consistent and consistently do things in moderation. They plug away each day and get stuff done. Others, and more common, will do things to extremes. They will diet for 3 weeks and then not consider what they are eating for the next 3 and will yoyo between all or nothing. If this, is you, do not despair, consistency can be self-taught and should be practiced, daily. At first it won’t come naturally but over time, I can guarantee it will get easier as you create consistent habits, so stay focused. Persistency is one that is a little less comfortable for most, as it can often mean making contact with someone over and over again, chipping away each day at the same brick before making a breakthrough but for me, consistency and persistency are key to achieving what it is you want.

There are many “secrets” or traits of being a high achiever but one thing that you can do EVERY DAY is bring yourself back to the bigger picture, the WHY of what you are doing. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day, in the micro activities and once you lose sight of why you are doing what you are doing, it’s very easy to lose track of what you are doing. So, at the beginning and the end of each day, remind yourself of why and make a plan for the day of HOW to will tackle it. Believe in you, you can do this. You can achieve what you’ve always dreamed of – YOU are your only barrier.

And to remind you of this, I leave you with this quote: Every achiever that I have ever met says, ‘My life turned around when I began to believe in me’.

Robert H. Schuller

Working hard is needed; some days are better than others, though. As an entrepreneur, we have HIGHS some days and LOWS other days. Sometimes we get into a RUT.

Question: How do all “those” people make it look so easy?

Answer: Hard work, consistency, and self-care.

Hard work:

Don’t be afraid of hard work. A “lucky break” happens when you are prepared (AKA work really hard at being ready) and opportunity knocks.

Consistency:

I just spoke with an entrepreneur who is also a mom of small kids. She has a propensity to bounce around with different interests. What’s missing? Consistency. A plan and clear and steady steps to get there.

Self-Care:

In the Productivity Success Cake Model, HEALTH commands the base/bottom layer. Without health we have nothing. Yet, we ignore our health. We are so good at “tricking” ourselves that we can ignore the body’s messages. The body always wins, so my advice is to tune into your needs before you end up in chronic pain, etc. That’s REAL! For example, over the last week I’ve been feeling a virus coming on. Today it exploded. I have been hydrating and cutting all calls short. I have been asking my family for help.

Bonus tip:

If you feel tired, burned out, exhausted, and yet, you say “I need to continuously improve!” then the BEST course of action is to REST. Put self-care at the top of the list. Go out in nature. Draw. Meditate. Sing. Do the OPPOSITE of being productive so that you have the mental stamina needed to….

1. Focus on outcomes: Assess where you are and use this pinpoint to compare your later outcomes, this will help you see results much more easily and efficiently. It will also give you a steppingstone to start from on your next improvement.
2. Set standards: if you are of a continuous improvement mindset, it’s important that you set out the standards of work upon which you will always deliver. These might come in the form of a checklist or simply a few notes, but will help guide you in terms of what is “good enough” and what needs to be worked on to improve.
3. Stay curious: To improve every day, its crucial you stay curious. Asking why to most things will spark desire to improve and push you to be better each day. What are others doing that you’re not? How can you be achieving that little bit more? Where are you on the leader board of achievers today?
4. Celebrate the failures: We all fail. When you do, remember failures are treasure and should be treated as such. They provide insight into “what ifs” and “what could have been done differently” and are valuable to the process of improvement. Take time to celebrate achievements but even more time to reflect on failures as these will be key to understanding how to move forwards. Fail big, fail often, and fail better!
5. Get lean: cut doing things for “doing things” sake. Question what is being done and strip back processes to be as lean and efficient as possible. This will save you time and energy, which can be focused for another aspect of your day that may have a greater outcome.

Although sometimes exhausting and somewhat unrelenting, having a continuous improvement mindset will take you to places that you never imagined possible. Others with a fixed mindset may also reach the top but you will reach it before them, having learned more and having done it more efficiently and effectively. Keep striving and you will always keep thriving.

I’ll leave you with this quote: – “Success is a process that continues, not a status that you reach. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.”