Struggling to get things done?
Growing your business online (or offline, for that matter) requires you’re able to execute quickly.
I don’t mean just doing busywork.
You need to be able to consistently create outcomes – often, at a drop of a hat.
For example, I only have minutes to write this article. I don’t have a highly paid copywriter on staff who will take their sweet time, figure out the perfect thing to say, and at the end of the month, charge me a small fortune. I only have myself and a few minutes of time.
Here’s what happens when most people are faced with a situation like that.
They freeze!
They become deer in headlights. Overwhelm sets in. And nothing gets accomplished. The inner dialogue goes like this:
“Oh, I have to write this article… then I have to edit the sales letter… then I have to set up a funnel… then there’s accounting… and my kid has a dance recital!”
So… nothing gets done – and they still manage to miss the dance recital, by the way.
Here’s how you fix that.
You’ve probably heard that “anything worth doing is worth having a deadline”, or something along those lines.
It’s a pretty simple concept – you give yourself a task. Then you give yourself a certain amount of time, and when that time has passed, the outcome has to be delivered – whatever that means in the particular case.
Most people don’t treat their own deadlines too seriously. If they miss one, it’s fine.
Many problems with that.
Biggest problem of them all?
You’re teaching yourself that you’re the kind of person who is not keeping promises. (Your brain forms the opinion about who you are from your actions… not your thoughts.)
So it becomes easier to miss the next deadline, the next, and so on – and finally, a few years have passed and you’re nowhere closer to what you set out to achieve.
Now, there’s a lot to be said about why people do that.
You may set deadlines that are too tight – and if you’re not allowing for mistakes, you’re just going to stress yourself out. Because if there’s anything you can count on… it’s that there will be delays, mistakes, screwups. You also may try to accomplish something that’s completely opposite to who you are as a person.
For example, if I tried to fix a car (anything more complicated than an oil change)… I could set all the deadlines I want and they probably could even help a little… but I’d hate every minute of it and so I’d procrastinate forever.
Anyhow.
For deadlines to really work – and for them to matter – you need to enforce them.
Here’s the approach I really love.
As I mentioned, I only gave myself few minutes to write this article.
I’ve set a timer.
When the timer hits zero… I will be OBLIGATED to publish this article, no matter what it looks like.
You know where I learned this?
A guy called Jason Fladlien, one of the most productive people on the planet.
(Along with a TON of other productivity tricks that have multiplied my productivity)…
Check it out. It’ll change your life… and remove a LOT of stress.