A powerful message we all can use.
Best Regards,
Warren Wandling
Showing posts with label self-development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-development. Show all posts
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Learn the top three strategies of high achievers to increase your business success
By Warren Wandling
Do you find yourself working at a slow pace with a low energy? If you want to work as a high achiever, then analyze how fast you work on tasks during your day. Ask yourself these questions: How faster do I move through my day? And, on a scale from 1 to 10 where am I? (10 indicates that you are moving fast.) The faster you move the more momentum you create. The more momentum you create the more you will accomplish. Get into activity that will produce high achieving results. As Dave Ramsay says, “gazelle intense.”
Here are three top techniques that high achievers use in their chosen profession.
The first strategy is to work faster. Pick up your pace. Whatever you are working on, beware of your pace that you are working. Do you find yourself working at slower pace with a low energy level or are you working at a high level urgency? Develop a sense of urgency about your day. Get into the do it now habit. Use the ABC priority system. List your tasks that need to be completed for the day and label them with an A, B or C. An A task is something that needs to be finished today. Work only on the A tasks before moving onto a B or C task. Developing a fast pace is key to becoming a High Achiever.
The second strategy is to work longer and harder. Have you ever said to yourself “ I can’t get anything done at work”? This is a common frustration. You must resolve that you are going to work harder and be focused all day long. If you find yourself being interrupted by other co-workers simply use the phrase “back to work.” Schedule two hours everyday without interruptions. Start an hour earlier, and stay an hour later. This will add two extra hours of productive time in your day, which is equal to an extra person working at your current pace. Use the clock as a tool to help you keep track of how much time you have until your next task. As you start to use this strategy your energy level will increase along with your productivity.
The third strategy is to focus on your high payoff activities (HPA) Write down five to seven tasks that are the most important for you to complete everyday. If you are a manager, scheduled a one-on-one proactive coaching meetings, on a weekly basis, with each of your team members is a top priority. If you are sales professional, talking with prospects is an HPA. Clients who use this strategy report that they get more satisfaction from their work. Make your list of your HPA’s today and you will start getting more job satisfaction.
To learn more how to become a high achiever and get greater results in your day, decide which coaching program is right for you.
By Warren Wandling
Do you find yourself working at a slow pace with a low energy? If you want to work as a high achiever, then analyze how fast you work on tasks during your day. Ask yourself these questions: How faster do I move through my day? And, on a scale from 1 to 10 where am I? (10 indicates that you are moving fast.) The faster you move the more momentum you create. The more momentum you create the more you will accomplish. Get into activity that will produce high achieving results. As Dave Ramsay says, “gazelle intense.”
Here are three top techniques that high achievers use in their chosen profession.
The first strategy is to work faster. Pick up your pace. Whatever you are working on, beware of your pace that you are working. Do you find yourself working at slower pace with a low energy level or are you working at a high level urgency? Develop a sense of urgency about your day. Get into the do it now habit. Use the ABC priority system. List your tasks that need to be completed for the day and label them with an A, B or C. An A task is something that needs to be finished today. Work only on the A tasks before moving onto a B or C task. Developing a fast pace is key to becoming a High Achiever.
The second strategy is to work longer and harder. Have you ever said to yourself “ I can’t get anything done at work”? This is a common frustration. You must resolve that you are going to work harder and be focused all day long. If you find yourself being interrupted by other co-workers simply use the phrase “back to work.” Schedule two hours everyday without interruptions. Start an hour earlier, and stay an hour later. This will add two extra hours of productive time in your day, which is equal to an extra person working at your current pace. Use the clock as a tool to help you keep track of how much time you have until your next task. As you start to use this strategy your energy level will increase along with your productivity.
The third strategy is to focus on your high payoff activities (HPA) Write down five to seven tasks that are the most important for you to complete everyday. If you are a manager, scheduled a one-on-one proactive coaching meetings, on a weekly basis, with each of your team members is a top priority. If you are sales professional, talking with prospects is an HPA. Clients who use this strategy report that they get more satisfaction from their work. Make your list of your HPA’s today and you will start getting more job satisfaction.
To learn more how to become a high achiever and get greater results in your day, decide which coaching program is right for you.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
Are you working hard to grow your business and things aren’t happening as fast as you want?
Stop struggling and create a
MAJOR business BREAKTHROUGH.
You are about to learn 3 simple steps to eliminate your struggle and double your time off.
Do you feel overwhelmed, with all the information that you are exposed to on a daily basis: email, voice mail, the Internet, cable and social media?
Have you found yourself deleting emails without reading then?
Another reason we feel overwhelmed is due to the intense negative news that we all hear everyday. When dealing with that overwhelmed feeling regularly, you can either give up or figure out how to persevere.
Failure Is Not an Option
Remember Apollo 13? Failure is not an option. Failure is not an option for you either.
It is a little known fact that more millionaires were made during the great depression then any other period in history. And here we are again in a similar time. Is this your time?
One of the names you may recognize from this period is Harland Sanders aka, Colonel Sanders- the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
He learned how to persevere. At the age of 65, he started traveling by car to different restaurants and cooked his fried chicken on the spot for restaurant owners. If the owner liked the chicken, they would enter into an agreement to sell the Colonel's chicken.
Colonel Sanders would receive a nickel for each piece of chicken the restaurant sold. By 1964, Colonel Sanders had 600 franchisees selling his chicken. At this time, he sold his company for $2 million dollars.
According to a well-known legend, Colonel Sanders heard 1009 "no's" before he heard his first "yes".
How many no’s have you heard today, this week, or this month? Are you ready to quit? Remember he was turned down one thousand and nine times before he heard his first YES!
So how do you develop the perseverance you need in today’s economy?
Three Simple Steps to Success
There are three simple steps that will help you develop your perseverance and eliminate your struggle.
Step one –
Be intentional about what you expose to your mind to. I decided to go on news fast recently, so I turned off my cable. To get my necessary news, on Sunday or Monday- I log on to my favorite news website and look at the headlines and read the articles that are of interest to me. I chose not to listen to the same negative stories over and over again. I found myself being drawn into the 24/7-hour news World we live in. I find the important news stories I have heard about. So I stay informed. Trust me people will tell you about the big news story of the day.
Listen:
You must be intentional about exposing yourself to positive material. Make sure you are listening to mp3 or CDs that will encourage you. Some of my favorites are John C Maxwell- on Leadership, Brian Tracy, and Jim Rohn. Listen while you are doing something else- like working out, getting ready of your day or while you are driving. A technique that will increase your learning is called Spaced repetition. Listen to the same mp3 or CD for 7 days in a row. This will reinforce the learning process.
Reading
Read a book on leadership or self-development for 15 minutes a day. This will help keep your mind focused on material that will move you towards your goal. Plan when you are going to read- morning, during lunch, or evening time. Be intentional.
Affirmations- An affirmation is a positive statement written in the present tense. If you are not using this technique, write down a few affirmations to help you be intentional about your thinking. The national science foundation says we have 50 thousand thoughts a day. Those thoughts are either move towards your goal or away from your goal. A Key to you success is taking action. So, here are a few affirmations to get you started. I put my plan into action. I have the “do it now” habit.
When you are saying your affirmations the more emotion you have when you say them it will help reinforce the process.
Second Step:
Master your Time- I want you to determine the top 5 tasks to focus on daily that will give you the greatest result in your day. That is what I call your HPA’S (high payoff activities). Then I want you to spend 80% of your day on the top 20%. The LPA is your low payoff activities. A LPA for example is reading your email. Have you ever found yourself reading the same email twice in one day or maybe three times?
Here a few question that will assist you in determining your HPA’S.
1. You are completely responsible for the task, if you don’t do it the HPA it will not be completed.
2. The HPA is under your control.
3. What are the results you are expected to achieve in your position?
I believe when you focus on your HPA’S, you will become a High Performance Achiever!
Third Step:
Mastermind group- accountability is another key to your success. When you develop a mastermind group, make sure you have no more then 4 people. It keeps it simple. You want to make sure you have like-minded people on your mastermind. Are they all willing to work towards their goals and take action?
The fastest way to stop struggling and start growing your business is to hire a coach. You will be amazed how quickly you are able to achieve your goals and stop struggling.
If you’ve been working to grow your business for a while now and things aren’t happening as fast as you want, then I’d like to help you create a MAJOR
business BREAKTHROUGH. Here’s the scoop…
I’ve heard from a lot of small businesses that are having an especially difficult time getting their business to grow fast these days. After hearing about so many people’s struggles, I decided to do something about it…
Sign up here for the Breakthrough You’ve Been Looking for
I’d like to invite you to take advantage of a special, “Business Breakthrough” coaching session. I’ll personally help you to…
Discover and move toward
o Your ‘ultimate business success’
o The “Dream life you’ve wanted
o And expected your business to provide . . . but it hasn’t up until this point.
Uncover and remove
o Those things that have sabotaged the growth of your business
o Kept you working too many hours
Leave this session renewed . . . re-energized, and inspired.
o To turn your business into a highly profitable,
o Revenue-generating machine
o That practically runs itself…
Sign up at
http://awakeningsignificance.com/coaching.asp
I’ll help you find your breakthrough
I only have a limited amount of time between sessions.
http://awakeningsignificance.com/coaching.asp
For the first 50 that signup.
Get the accountability, holding your feet the fire to DELIVER according to your action plan working with one of our mastermind groups, or with a coach.
Finish this year strong. Remember Colonel Standers heard 1009 no’s before he heard his first yes, you are closer to success then you think.
Many Entrepreneurs, like you have used these techniques to grow their business fast. For more information on how to stop struggling and double your time off request your zero cost 25 minute coaching session today.
To Your Success,
Warren Wandling
Are you working hard to grow your business and things aren’t happening as fast as you want?
Stop struggling and create a
MAJOR business BREAKTHROUGH.
You are about to learn 3 simple steps to eliminate your struggle and double your time off.
Do you feel overwhelmed, with all the information that you are exposed to on a daily basis: email, voice mail, the Internet, cable and social media?
Have you found yourself deleting emails without reading then?
Another reason we feel overwhelmed is due to the intense negative news that we all hear everyday. When dealing with that overwhelmed feeling regularly, you can either give up or figure out how to persevere.
Failure Is Not an Option
Remember Apollo 13? Failure is not an option. Failure is not an option for you either.
It is a little known fact that more millionaires were made during the great depression then any other period in history. And here we are again in a similar time. Is this your time?
One of the names you may recognize from this period is Harland Sanders aka, Colonel Sanders- the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
He learned how to persevere. At the age of 65, he started traveling by car to different restaurants and cooked his fried chicken on the spot for restaurant owners. If the owner liked the chicken, they would enter into an agreement to sell the Colonel's chicken.
Colonel Sanders would receive a nickel for each piece of chicken the restaurant sold. By 1964, Colonel Sanders had 600 franchisees selling his chicken. At this time, he sold his company for $2 million dollars.
According to a well-known legend, Colonel Sanders heard 1009 "no's" before he heard his first "yes".
How many no’s have you heard today, this week, or this month? Are you ready to quit? Remember he was turned down one thousand and nine times before he heard his first YES!
So how do you develop the perseverance you need in today’s economy?
Three Simple Steps to Success
There are three simple steps that will help you develop your perseverance and eliminate your struggle.
Step one –
Be intentional about what you expose to your mind to. I decided to go on news fast recently, so I turned off my cable. To get my necessary news, on Sunday or Monday- I log on to my favorite news website and look at the headlines and read the articles that are of interest to me. I chose not to listen to the same negative stories over and over again. I found myself being drawn into the 24/7-hour news World we live in. I find the important news stories I have heard about. So I stay informed. Trust me people will tell you about the big news story of the day.
Listen:
You must be intentional about exposing yourself to positive material. Make sure you are listening to mp3 or CDs that will encourage you. Some of my favorites are John C Maxwell- on Leadership, Brian Tracy, and Jim Rohn. Listen while you are doing something else- like working out, getting ready of your day or while you are driving. A technique that will increase your learning is called Spaced repetition. Listen to the same mp3 or CD for 7 days in a row. This will reinforce the learning process.
Reading
Read a book on leadership or self-development for 15 minutes a day. This will help keep your mind focused on material that will move you towards your goal. Plan when you are going to read- morning, during lunch, or evening time. Be intentional.
Affirmations- An affirmation is a positive statement written in the present tense. If you are not using this technique, write down a few affirmations to help you be intentional about your thinking. The national science foundation says we have 50 thousand thoughts a day. Those thoughts are either move towards your goal or away from your goal. A Key to you success is taking action. So, here are a few affirmations to get you started. I put my plan into action. I have the “do it now” habit.
When you are saying your affirmations the more emotion you have when you say them it will help reinforce the process.
Second Step:
Master your Time- I want you to determine the top 5 tasks to focus on daily that will give you the greatest result in your day. That is what I call your HPA’S (high payoff activities). Then I want you to spend 80% of your day on the top 20%. The LPA is your low payoff activities. A LPA for example is reading your email. Have you ever found yourself reading the same email twice in one day or maybe three times?
Here a few question that will assist you in determining your HPA’S.
1. You are completely responsible for the task, if you don’t do it the HPA it will not be completed.
2. The HPA is under your control.
3. What are the results you are expected to achieve in your position?
I believe when you focus on your HPA’S, you will become a High Performance Achiever!
Third Step:
Mastermind group- accountability is another key to your success. When you develop a mastermind group, make sure you have no more then 4 people. It keeps it simple. You want to make sure you have like-minded people on your mastermind. Are they all willing to work towards their goals and take action?
The fastest way to stop struggling and start growing your business is to hire a coach. You will be amazed how quickly you are able to achieve your goals and stop struggling.
If you’ve been working to grow your business for a while now and things aren’t happening as fast as you want, then I’d like to help you create a MAJOR
business BREAKTHROUGH. Here’s the scoop…
I’ve heard from a lot of small businesses that are having an especially difficult time getting their business to grow fast these days. After hearing about so many people’s struggles, I decided to do something about it…
Sign up here for the Breakthrough You’ve Been Looking for
I’d like to invite you to take advantage of a special, “Business Breakthrough” coaching session. I’ll personally help you to…
Discover and move toward
o Your ‘ultimate business success’
o The “Dream life you’ve wanted
o And expected your business to provide . . . but it hasn’t up until this point.
Uncover and remove
o Those things that have sabotaged the growth of your business
o Kept you working too many hours
Leave this session renewed . . . re-energized, and inspired.
o To turn your business into a highly profitable,
o Revenue-generating machine
o That practically runs itself…
Sign up at
http://awakeningsignificance.com/coaching.asp
I’ll help you find your breakthrough
I only have a limited amount of time between sessions.
http://awakeningsignificance.com/coaching.asp
For the first 50 that signup.
Get the accountability, holding your feet the fire to DELIVER according to your action plan working with one of our mastermind groups, or with a coach.
Finish this year strong. Remember Colonel Standers heard 1009 no’s before he heard his first yes, you are closer to success then you think.
Many Entrepreneurs, like you have used these techniques to grow their business fast. For more information on how to stop struggling and double your time off request your zero cost 25 minute coaching session today.
To Your Success,
Warren Wandling
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Are You Up For a Challenge
It's been a fast, challenging and for some a painful year.
And, if you're tired of struggling with debt, fearful of the current economic crisis, and paralyzed by the pace of change, I've got a great way for you to take control of your future and finish the year off with a bang.
September 23rd is an important date as it marks the 100 day countdown of 2009. With that in mind, I want to thrown down a challenge, I want to provide you with an opportunity to redeem yourself and turn things around for the better and I mean much better.
You see, one thing we all have in common is that we all love a challenge!
For some it could be a goal that puts you to the test, an obstacle that says you can't beat me, a belief system that is begging for a breakthrough, or even a mountain that just dares you to climb it.
Whatever it is, you're attitude should be BRING IT ON, as there's nothing quite like a good old fashioned challenge to see what you're made, to push the boundaries and tests your limits as it is ONLY when we overcome these trials that we get to reap the sweetest rewards.
My colleague, Gary Ryan Blair, otherwise know as The Goals Guy has put together what I believe to be the most comprehensive approach to goal setting and performance enhancement.
Gary has been working with executives and employees at Coca-Cola, American Express, IBM, Starbucks, Time Warner, Disney, and many more teaching them exactly how set and reach their goals - if he can do it for them, he can do it for you.
Many of the top leaders in just about every field call on Gary when trying to develop and execute on certain goals. It is so much easier when you know HOW to create a workable plan, and can create accountability and that is where he excels.
Back to your goals and the challenge. Gary has created a powerful program that will show you how to make maximum performance gains in the shortest time possible. It is very effective and very affordable.
I think it is a no brainer if are serious about making changes and finishing the year strong than you simply must check out this program.
It's called the 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge and it begins on September 23rd, which just so happens to be the final 100 days of the year.
Learn more here: http://tinyurl.com/mprzhz
It is a downloadable video and audio program where Gary literally coaches you towards achieving your goals -- the RIGHT WAY!
I recommend the program, I recommend that you download the Special Report, and more importantly I recommend Gary.
So make sure to go to The 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge at:
http://tinyurl.com/mprzhz
And put yourself and your family in the best possible position. Also, make sure to watch his video.
Regards,
Warren Wandling
And, if you're tired of struggling with debt, fearful of the current economic crisis, and paralyzed by the pace of change, I've got a great way for you to take control of your future and finish the year off with a bang.
September 23rd is an important date as it marks the 100 day countdown of 2009. With that in mind, I want to thrown down a challenge, I want to provide you with an opportunity to redeem yourself and turn things around for the better and I mean much better.
You see, one thing we all have in common is that we all love a challenge!
For some it could be a goal that puts you to the test, an obstacle that says you can't beat me, a belief system that is begging for a breakthrough, or even a mountain that just dares you to climb it.
Whatever it is, you're attitude should be BRING IT ON, as there's nothing quite like a good old fashioned challenge to see what you're made, to push the boundaries and tests your limits as it is ONLY when we overcome these trials that we get to reap the sweetest rewards.
My colleague, Gary Ryan Blair, otherwise know as The Goals Guy has put together what I believe to be the most comprehensive approach to goal setting and performance enhancement.
Gary has been working with executives and employees at Coca-Cola, American Express, IBM, Starbucks, Time Warner, Disney, and many more teaching them exactly how set and reach their goals - if he can do it for them, he can do it for you.
Many of the top leaders in just about every field call on Gary when trying to develop and execute on certain goals. It is so much easier when you know HOW to create a workable plan, and can create accountability and that is where he excels.
Back to your goals and the challenge. Gary has created a powerful program that will show you how to make maximum performance gains in the shortest time possible. It is very effective and very affordable.
I think it is a no brainer if are serious about making changes and finishing the year strong than you simply must check out this program.
It's called the 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge and it begins on September 23rd, which just so happens to be the final 100 days of the year.
Learn more here: http://tinyurl.com/mprzhz
It is a downloadable video and audio program where Gary literally coaches you towards achieving your goals -- the RIGHT WAY!
I recommend the program, I recommend that you download the Special Report, and more importantly I recommend Gary.
So make sure to go to The 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge at:
http://tinyurl.com/mprzhz
And put yourself and your family in the best possible position. Also, make sure to watch his video.
Regards,
Warren Wandling
Monday, September 21, 2009
Enthusiasm...
The Magic of Thinking Success by Dr. David J Schwartz- a great book
To make enthusiasm work miracles for you, remember:
•Enthusiasm is your psychological ignition system. People succeed in direct proportion to their ability to turn on their enthusiasm.
•Enthusiasm works “miracles in selling, in business, in sports, and in rearing a family. Success and enthusiasm go together.
•Believe in what you do and enthusiasm follows. If you don’t believe something is right, don’t do it.
•Put enthusiasm in what you say. Your sound is more important than the words you speak. Put spirit in your voice. Let your voice say, “I am glad to talk to you.”
•Smile and you manufacture enthusiasm. Remember, you can’t be angry or depressed or worried when you smile. And when you smile, other people like you.
•Knowledge builds enthusiasm. The more you know about something, the more enthusiastic you become.
•Help others feel enthusiastic. It makes you even more enthusiastic.
Make it your best week yet!
Warren Wandling
To make enthusiasm work miracles for you, remember:
•Enthusiasm is your psychological ignition system. People succeed in direct proportion to their ability to turn on their enthusiasm.
•Enthusiasm works “miracles in selling, in business, in sports, and in rearing a family. Success and enthusiasm go together.
•Believe in what you do and enthusiasm follows. If you don’t believe something is right, don’t do it.
•Put enthusiasm in what you say. Your sound is more important than the words you speak. Put spirit in your voice. Let your voice say, “I am glad to talk to you.”
•Smile and you manufacture enthusiasm. Remember, you can’t be angry or depressed or worried when you smile. And when you smile, other people like you.
•Knowledge builds enthusiasm. The more you know about something, the more enthusiastic you become.
•Help others feel enthusiastic. It makes you even more enthusiastic.
Make it your best week yet!
Warren Wandling
Friday, June 12, 2009
Manage Your Time or Others will Do It for you
Manage Your Time or Others Will Do It for You
Harvey Mackay
I'll never forget an important time management lesson I learned in a seminar many years ago . . . especially how the instructor illustrated the point.
"Okay, time for a quiz," he said, as he pulled out a one-gallon wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on the desk in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is the jar full?"
Everyone in the seminar said, "Yes."
Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar. This caused pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group again, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," we answered.
"Good!" he replied as he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you really try hard, you can always fit some things into it."
"No," the instructor replied. "The point is if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."
So, today, tonight, or in the morning when you are reflecting on this story, ask yourself: What are the 'big rocks' in my life or business? Then, be sure to put those in your jar first.
And by the way, you get the same size jar as everyone else. No exceptions.
What changes from person to person is the size of each rock. I've got a couple boulders in my jar: family first, always. Things like friends, my company, my speaking/writing "hobby," maintaining my network, my volunteer commitments, my health, and my religion all take up a lot of space. The gravel is all the stuff that takes up more than a few minutes but doesn't necessarily happen every day, like a committee assignment, a vacation, learning new software... you get the idea.
And now, the sand. You can decide whether to be that 98-pound weakling who gets sand kicked at him, or the creator of a spectacular sand castle. The sand is the yes/no stuff that absolutely has to fit around everything else after it's in the jar. A little piece of sand in your eye is a big pain, and those are the ones that get the no-thank-you right off the bat. A little sand on an icy street is one of life's little pleasures when you live in snow country as I do. You choose the sand. It's your jar.
In other words, it's your time. Change the rocks, gravel and sand into hours, minutes and seconds. Then decide what your priorities are and how much time you'll spend on them. If you don't, someone else will decide for you and you'll end up with a jar full of heavy, jagged, nasty shards that nobody could touch without getting stabbed by another rock. Do you really want to spend your time working on other people's priorities?
As Benjamin Franklin said, "If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves." Good time management is taking care of the things that matter most to us first and keeping that jar of rocks in sight all the time.
My friend Lou Holtz has a great formula: W.I.N. -- What's Important Now? Use some of your precious time to figure out what's important in your life and you will win.
Harvey Mackay
I'll never forget an important time management lesson I learned in a seminar many years ago . . . especially how the instructor illustrated the point.
"Okay, time for a quiz," he said, as he pulled out a one-gallon wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on the desk in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is the jar full?"
Everyone in the seminar said, "Yes."
Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar. This caused pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group again, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," we answered.
"Good!" he replied as he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you really try hard, you can always fit some things into it."
"No," the instructor replied. "The point is if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."
So, today, tonight, or in the morning when you are reflecting on this story, ask yourself: What are the 'big rocks' in my life or business? Then, be sure to put those in your jar first.
And by the way, you get the same size jar as everyone else. No exceptions.
What changes from person to person is the size of each rock. I've got a couple boulders in my jar: family first, always. Things like friends, my company, my speaking/writing "hobby," maintaining my network, my volunteer commitments, my health, and my religion all take up a lot of space. The gravel is all the stuff that takes up more than a few minutes but doesn't necessarily happen every day, like a committee assignment, a vacation, learning new software... you get the idea.
And now, the sand. You can decide whether to be that 98-pound weakling who gets sand kicked at him, or the creator of a spectacular sand castle. The sand is the yes/no stuff that absolutely has to fit around everything else after it's in the jar. A little piece of sand in your eye is a big pain, and those are the ones that get the no-thank-you right off the bat. A little sand on an icy street is one of life's little pleasures when you live in snow country as I do. You choose the sand. It's your jar.
In other words, it's your time. Change the rocks, gravel and sand into hours, minutes and seconds. Then decide what your priorities are and how much time you'll spend on them. If you don't, someone else will decide for you and you'll end up with a jar full of heavy, jagged, nasty shards that nobody could touch without getting stabbed by another rock. Do you really want to spend your time working on other people's priorities?
As Benjamin Franklin said, "If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves." Good time management is taking care of the things that matter most to us first and keeping that jar of rocks in sight all the time.
My friend Lou Holtz has a great formula: W.I.N. -- What's Important Now? Use some of your precious time to figure out what's important in your life and you will win.
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