Author: cbarney.45

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain

So many people, myself included, get bogged down by analysis paralysis. You see a big problem and don’t know how to tackle it. It can be intimidating. But, what Mark Twain describes above, and how he describes it, is exactly how we should approach the situation.

Break this complex problem down into smaller, more manageable problems. Rank the new, smaller issues in order of importance. Pick what matters most and spend all of your energy concentrating on addressing that issue. After that is completed, move onto the next one.

The only caveat I would make here is for small tasks that will take you less than 5 minutes to get done. Knock out all tasks that take less than 5 minutes to start building momentum. You’ll get a few “wins” under your belt and build confidence. Just make sure that as soon as you’re done with these that you get back to work on the most important task, NOT the one that is easiest.

Don’t procrastinate on what needs to be done. If it is important, prioritize it. Do this and you’ll be able to more easily tackle the big problems.

“A team that cares is made up of people who do their job to be the best they can be for themselves and their team. They pursue excellence and are always looking for ways they can learn, improve, and grow. They are humble and hungry and willing to be uncomfortable. They don’t settle. Instead they always challenge the status quo and chase greatness.

…if you want to be the elite of the elite, you have to be a transformational positive team member – someone who makes others better in the process. To be a great team, you not only want to do your job well, but also help your team members do their jobs better.” – Jon Gordon in The Power of a Positive Team

If you want to be on an elite team, you have to focus on what you control. It starts with your actions. If you have a positive attitude, praise your team members (in public), share constructive criticism with others (in private), and if you’re always prepared and following through with your own work, others will see this. If you truly have the right people on the bus and they are in the right seat (put in a position to do their best work doing something that they enjoy), then they will be motivated to make it work.

Look within first. Do everything that you can to help the team out. Build a culture of high performers who happily put the team’s needs ahead of their own.

“The opportunity is often lost by deliberating.” – Pulilius Syrus

Have you ever let a great opportunity slip through your fingers because you took too long to act? I know that I have.

Personally, I am a thinker. I am a processor. I don’t typically make quick decisions. When people see me make a “quick” decision, especially on something that seems random, most of the time it isn’t. I wasn’t being spontaneous…I’ve probably thought about doing that/purchasing that item for a long time, thought about the pros/cons of the decision, then pulled the trigger after a lot of deliberation.

While that can be a positive in many cases, sometimes taking too long before acting is the wrong decision. If you are waiting for the perfect price or the perfect scenario, guess what? It’s never going to get here. Even when everything is “just right,” when it comes, will you be able to see it? Or will you wait for an even more perfect scenario? IF that time ever comes, somebody who is more decisive will have already swooped in and you will be out of luck.

Practice making quicker decisions on trivial actions. Don’t spend too much time (wasting brain power and further empowering your slow decision-making habits) thinking about the clothing you’re wearing, the food that you’re eating, or the workout routine that you’re planning. Instead, come up with rules or guidelines to simplify your life.

For example, one of my rules is that I don’t eat fast food. Now, if someone asks me if I want McDonald’s, the answer is a quick “no.” I don’t have to spend time debating on if I want it.

You can come up with all sorts of rules to simplify your life. For your exercise or work attire, you can say that you only wear certain colors. Or, with your existing wardrobe, that you only wear “x” colored shirts with “y” colored shorts/pants, and “z” colored shoes. That way, whatever pair of shorts you select, you have already limited what shirts you’re “allowed” to wear, thus quickening your decision making.

If whatever action you’re about to take fits within your rules, then you have permission to do it. If it doesn’t fit within the rules, you aren’t allowed to do it. Don’t waste your time, mental energy, or willpower by having these internal debates about what you should or shouldn’t do.

Act swiftly in the non-important situations to get in the habit of making quicker decisions. This will help you in two ways. First, you’ll be used to making quicker decisions. If you are currently a slow-decision maker, is it possible that that’s the case because you are afraid of making the wrong decision? If so, being able to make quicker decisions in your everyday life will give you more confidence in your decision making ability. Second, because you are no longer wasting your time, mental energy, and willpower on decisions that don’t really matter, you will have more of those resources available to you for the actions that do matter.

Sometimes you have to slow down and think things over. But it’s important to be aware of when you need to slow down versus when you need to not overthink things. Don’t miss opportunities because you spent too much time deliberating.

“I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.” – William Faulkner

Professionals do what needs to be done. Amateurs do it when they feel like it. If you wait to be motivated or inspired to take action, your actions will be sporadic and your results will be mediocre.

What are some things that you should be doing on a regular basis for work that will propel you to the next level? Whatever you deem that activity to be, schedule it and never skip it. Do you need to role play with other salespeople weekly? Do you need to learn about new or existing products that you offer? Take the time to consistently and intently work at your craft and you will eventually master it. Be a professional, not an amateur.

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” – Lao Tzu

Sometimes, you’re heading in a direction that you know isn’t the right way for you, but you’re so far down the road that you don’t want to turn around. You choose not to turn around because you’ve already spent so much time, energy, or money going down this path and not going to the end sounds painful to you. By not finishing what you started, all you can see is everything that you’ve wasted in this pursuit so far. But do you know what is more painful than wasting past efforts? Wasting current and future efforts by finishing something that you know isn’t what you’re looking for. Getting to the destination at the end of your trajectory, feeling stuck, and then making another decision to either stay where you are (miserable) OR take another road, potentially even longer than the last one, to get to the new destination that you have in mind.

Here is a specific example…say you’re going to college for a degree with a specific job in mind. As you progress through your college journey and intern in your field of study, you realize that you not only don’t want to do that job for the rest of your life, but you don’t want to do that job for even a few years of your life! But the problem is, what you’re really interested in is completely different than what you’re currently studying. Basically none of the classes that you’ve already taken can be used as credits for the other major. Do you have the courage to “start over?” Do you still finish your major as is or do you make the switch to something more fulfilling?

Take a closer look at where you are today and what road the actions you’re taking today will lead you down. Will you like the final destination? Will you be disappointed? Or will you really enjoy that destination, but need to take more action to get there faster? If you don’t course correct, you’ll eventually get to where you’re heading. Whether that place is right for you is up for you to decide.