How many
people whine about not having the life they want?
The main
reason people fall short of their own expectations is the same reason most
companies fail to achieve their objectives: poor planning and execution.
In fact, I am
amazed at how many successful executives create strategy for their business,
leaving their life to chance. Often it's more comfortable (note I didn't say easier)
to complain and blame outside factors for lack of accomplishment or unhappiness
than to take time to work on life rather than in it.
Are you
working on your life or just in it?
Here are the
tips that will assure you success when you plan and execute the life and career
worthy of your potential.
1. Plan a
Preferred Future
As Lewis Carroll
said: “If you don't know where you are going, then any road will get you
there.”
Allow plenty
of time to make course corrections and absorb any external factors thrown at
you. Planning needs to be specific and measurable. Take time to examine and
discuss the details of every aspect of your life, personal and professional, to
achieve integrated success and happiness.
2. Be
Pragmatic
I will not
become a professional athlete at my age. The future has to reflect what is
physically possible with available resources and limitations. Pragmatism isn't
in itself restrictive, however; harness your creativity to design aspirational
futures that exploit every opportunity and asset you have. Create filters to
keep us from wasting time and energy on what's unachievable or
irrelevant.
3. Decide the
Who, Not the What
Define who
you want to be, not what you want to be doing. The who centres on
passion, core competencies, and core satisfaction, such as material
requirements. If I know who I truly want to be, I can detail what to do,
own, resources I need, etc. I can also determine what not to do, own,
etc., focusing time and resources where required.
4. Be Honest
Challenge
yourself constantly to get to the truth of who you are and who you wish to be. Don’t
let yourself believe your stories and rationalisations, they result in
misdirection and distraction.
5. Consider
the Tools Around You, Old and New
Every
resource is important. On my old list is Napoleon Hill,
who nearly 100 years ago connected visualisation to success. And I will also
consider new resources like crowdsourcing. I'm a natural skeptic for overhyped
Internet trends but I am inspired with the KickStarter
campaign. It's simple, interesting, and elegant. In this exercise,
no resources, new or old, are off the table to achieve my desired future.
6. Ignore the
Naysayers
I live for
constructive criticism. But outside perspective that is baseless conjecture or
stems from emotional baggage (think dissatisfied family or friends) is
destructive for achievers. Put these people in a box where they can't distract
you from your ambitions. Find people who get it, and put them in your corner.
Engage them in your preferred future, and help them achieve theirs.
7. Don't
Settle for Mediocrity
Although
being the next Steve Jobs is likely off your agenda (as it should be), push yourself
to the limits of your potential. Too many people settle for what is easy rather
than engage their energy and creativity to create something different and
meaningful. Then they wonder why their work has no significance. I choose to
pursue the Awesome Experience.
People who
take a reactive approach to growth and development will suffer the same fate as
companies, managers, and employees who let the markets, technology, and
competitors determine their destiny. The game of life rewards aggressive
players who leverage their energy, smarts (note that I didn't say intelligence),
and creativity to determine and obtain the life that truly makes them happy. As
Jim Collins points out in Great by Choice,
good and bad luck comes to all; it's how you plan and execute that determines
your return on luck.
Use the comments box
to send me your thoughts.
Be brilliant this
week.
That is all –
David
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