Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done,
whether you like it or not.
—Walter Bagehot
Once upon a time, there was there was a college professor who wanted to write a biography—not of a productive person—but of a productive day. The professor began his research by interviewing hundreds of highly productive people. After listening to how these people spent their days, he compiled this information and came up with the following list:
#1. First thing in the morning, highly productive people plan their work for the day. They know exactly which projects they want to begin, which ones they need to make progress on, and which ones they have to complete on that day.
#2. They make a firm commitment to stick to their plan for that day—no matter what.
#3. They get down to work. They’ve already planned their work. Now they’re working their plan.
#4. As they work on their projects and make progress—they feel energized. It feels good to be productive.
#5. They continue working. However, these good feelings do not last forever. These highly productive people are confronted by frustration, upset, and even lack of motivation. Sometimes they want to quit, BUT they keep working on their projects because they are committed to staying committed to their commitments.
#6. As the rest of the day passes, the good feelings come back . . . but so do the bad. Nevertheless, these people press on. They know the secret is to rise above their feeling and to keep their commitments. They know that professionals do their best when they feel like it least.
#7. They complete some projects and make progress on others. Maybe not perfectly. These highly productive people believe in progress not perfection. Maybe not without unforeseen snags. But they were productive. They got the job done.
#8. When the day is done and they’re just about to put their heads on their pillows, they get their real reward. They are able to say to them, “I’m glad I did.” while less productive people can only say, “I wish I had.”
#9. They wake up the next morning and go back to step #1.
#10. They keep doing Steps #1-#9 until they’ve become a habit. They’ve learned that habits start out as thin threads and end up as strong cables.
Call Success Hotline today (973.743.4690),
Rob Gilbert
