IMPLEMENTATION (strategies used): I was able to accomplish the task again on the desired time and incorporated a variation of the same strategies from previous weeks. In addition, I am going to just going to briefly list the strategies that I have explained in previous posts and explain new ones more in depth.
1. 3-Bucket System: I learned the 3-Bucket system from Jeff Goins who breaks up the process of writing into three easy steps. First, create a place (physical or digital) where you can collect ideas. Second, schedule a time to draft the first version without the pressure of making edits. Third, edit your draft after you have taken time away from it. This process makes writing much easier and I find myself producing better writing in a shorter amount of time.
2. Got 2-minutes: I learned the 2-minute rule from James Clear and it helps you initiate a task, as usually this is the most difficult step. This strategy helps you focus on what you would do in the first 2 minutes of starting a task and then complete those actions. I often times do this and then look up at the clock and see that I have been working for well over 2 minutes. I have now merged this with the "Got a Minute" strategy, which is used to turn any amount of free time into productive time. It comes from Vierordt's Law, which states that when estimating a previous task, people overestimate short durations and underestimate long ones. Simply, we regularly overestimate how long it will take to accomplish meaningful tasks. task. Often times they can be accomplished in a short amount of time. So don't judge if you will start something by how time you think you have, just star!
3. Read More: Want to read 30 books this year? Here is your strategy. I also learned this from James Clear and all you need is a timer and information that you want to read. Each day set the timer for 20 minutes and read for the duration of that time. That is it. Do that on a daily basis and you will be able to get through more books in a shorter amount of time.
4. Pareto Principle: I have actually been using this strategy for the last couple of weeks without knowing it, but was able to make a connection after my reading of Jack Canfield's book "Success Principles." The Pareto Principle is named for the nineteenth century economist that came up with it and it states that 80% of the revenue is generated from 20% of it customers. This principle can also be translated to our lives, as 20% of actions that you complete on a daily basis produce 80% of the results. We often times get caught up in thinking we have to do everything ourselves, which in turn leaves no time to invest in the actions that produce 80% of our success. Recently, we have hired a babysitter to stay with us one night a week, so that Megan and I can have a date night. This choice to pay someone to stay with us has opened up time for me to write my weekly posts before spending quality time with my wife. I have reaped huge dividends both in my personal and professional life. Analyze the actions that you complete on a daily basis and identify which ones produce 80% of the results. Then, see if you can hire or find someone else to complete the other tasks that take you away from these.
REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions): I have noticed in the last couple of weeks that I have hit my DIP. Seth Godin defines the DIP as the LOWEST point in the process of taking on a new task. We are often times excited when we start a new project, then it gets harder as you face more obstacles, and then it gets to a point where it is 0% fun. This can lead you to think, "is this new task or goal that I am trying to reach worth it, should I stick it out?" Although I knew this was going to occur sometime this year, it has really hit me in the last two weeks. But something jumped off the page while reading Seth's short description about his book "The DIP." It says that "The bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it." This lead me two other connections from previous learnings.
First, is the Dickens process proposed by Tony Robbins. The process is based off the character Charles Dickens or more widely known as "Scrooge." In the movie or play, Scrooge is presented with the pain of his future if he continues his actions. This glimpse in to his painful future changes his attitude and way of life. This strategy can be applied to the process of discovering, pursuing, and achieving our dreams. The mind can not comprehend the positive results from consistently putting in the effort week in and week out, as few of us have ever done it. Where as, our brains can attach to the the pain of being unfulfilled and not living up to our potential, as we have all been there. This is why this strategy can help you overcome your DIP. Think about the feeling caused by your inaction, what would that look like in a year, two years, or five years? Will you walk through your days unfulfilled, or be out of shape, or even in darker places? Hopefully this grim picture can wake you up and then provide momentum to move out of your DIP.
Second, is the idea to "fall in love with boredom". James Clear wrote that what separates pros from amateurs is that they fall in love with boredom and routine. No matter what, they show up everyday. The process of discovering, pursuing, and achieving your dreams does get monotonous and it takes discipline and commitment to show up consistently. The weekly time devoted to your craft of choice can and will reach a point when it is not fun...enter the the DIP. I wrote in the previous paragraph that you can now use the Dickens process, but you can also use this strategy in conjunction with it to become a pro and "fall in love with boredom." To do this you need to do one of two things. First, become more proficient at your task. Learn a new twist or modification that can lead to variety, but also add a small improvement to the task. Second, fall in the love with the result of the task, not the task itself. James wrote to shift your thinking from the task to a result that is produced from the consistent completion of a task. For example, if you have to complete sprint trainings every week as part of your workout routine, shift your focus from completing the sprints to a result of not missing workouts. This can be translated to PIR (Planning, Implementation, and Reflection) week process, instead of thinking about completing the weekly task, make it a point not to miss a week, this in turn will produce meaningful results. Lastly, I highly recommend getting a huge calendar to mark off completing your weekly tasks. Place this in a high traffic area, as it helps motivate you and pushes you to keep the streak alive when you see the string of X's for the completed weeks.
Thanks for tuning in and see you in week 22.
No comments:
Post a Comment