WEEK 135: FOCUS IN ADVERSITY

There are two ways to inspire human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.    Simon Sinek

REFLECTIONS (learnings and actions):

Today I want to talk to you about the ideas of discipline and commitment (manipulation)...and why they are flawed.

WHAT you might say?

Yes, they are flawed.

Now before I tell you why, I want to know if you know the following companies, Apple and Amazon?

Why are they SO successful? 

Give you a hint, it deals with their missions.

Apple's Mission: 

Apple has always been different. A different kind of company with a different view of the world. It's a special place where we have the opportunity to create the best products on earth - products that change lives and the future. It's a privilege we hold dear. 

Amazon's mission:

Our vision is to be the earth's most customer-centric company: to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online. 

Now a companies mission, like any other successful organization, is what drives all decision making processes and inspires employees. From hiring, purchasing, etc.

The thing is most business, do not have a clear mission, thus they might start doing one thing and then change what they are doing the following year. 

This makes it really hard to find success and eventually can lead to bankruptcy, their warehouse blowing up, and all of their staff revolting against them. 

Kidding, but you get the point.

Now what would happen if I were to tell you the same thing happens with you while undertaking a new task or meaningul challenge?

Jess, I do not follow?

Lean in, I am about to drop some knowledge...

Today you are told you must have more discipline and be committed100%..blah, blah, blah...in order to achieve what you desire.

Don't get me wrong, discipline and commitment are strong allies on the path to higher levels of success and performance, but there is something you MUST have first in order for both of them to be leveraged properly.

What you might ask?

It is your reasons = WHY = mission. 

You must have a clear, strong WHY for doing what you are doing, or you will quit the first time something gets hard (which it will, and will happen multiple times) and will say "at least I tried."

Let me give you an example,

Say you want to gain 4 kilos (9 lbs roughly) of muscle. You decide on this goal and start going to the gym. First week or so you look better, but actually lose weight, however you know you are getting in better shape so no worries.

Next week, same thing. You lose a little more weight, but you start asking "What am I doing wrong?"

Finally, in the next week you do not see any changes on the scale and you say "This is impossible" and you quit.

Oh, you probably had rock solid discipline and commitment, yet you still found it hard and eventually quit.

Why is this?

Well, if we go back and analyze this situation it is because you started with no clear, or strong enough reason (WHY).

Why do you want 4 more kilos of muscle?

Look good on the beach? (ok, but will this get you through those times when it gets hard?)

Have more confidence? (getting better)

Prove to yourself you can take on challenging situations? (Getting hotter..)

Become the highest version of self so I can achieve any goal...this leads to me helping others to do the same..make an IMPACT! (pretty awesome)

Starting with strong reasons, will actually strengthen discipline and commitment, however, relying on these two solely will almost always end in frustration, stress, and failure.

Thus, want to follow through consistently and achieve success and higher performance?

Take Apple and Amazons' lead and Start by clarifying a stronger WHY = reasons, for doing what you are doing. This will allow you to endure the difficult patches so you can reach levels you never thought possible.

See you on the other side...J

Top three activities that move me forward?

1. Nightly Routines...a perfect morning starts with a perfect Nightly Routine (NR).

2. Dedicating time to learn daily with Audible. Small investments, producing large returns. Exponentially.

3. Strengthening psychic umbrellas throughtout the day - Foxhole, GRR 

Biggest lessons/learnings and corrections?

Learning and growth come from being immersed with the PROCESS, not the results. Focusing solely on the end result, will force you to RUSH, which will never allow you to fully master the process. 

GROWTH is the enemy of comfort. 

What are you grateful for?

Meggo finally being home. Always feel the big void when she is not here, and it is so good to have her back home!

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PLANNING (Implementation Intention):  You will follow through 2X to 3X more likely to complete your weekly task than you normally would just by filling in the following statement.

I plan to complete the weekly task [day] at [time] in [location]. 

A reminder you might have to use multiple Implementation Intentions in order to follow through.

EXECUTION (strategies used):  From week to week, I use a combination of many strategies. There are always some which are used more than others depending on what comes up, but I wanted to offer a link to all them at once. 

My advice is to identify the I CAN'T statement you tell yourself during the most. Then find a strategy below the statement which resonates with you, and then start using it. 

Enjoy!

STRATEGY LIST