My New Year’s (Not Quite) Resolutions
December 30th, 2015 // 12:17 pm @ Scott Manning
Okay. So don’t get tired of lists just yet. I realize it’s all about the lists the last few weeks and it should be because as I have said before and I know you know this – if it doesn’t get written, scheduled, planned out, deadline driven and benchmarked it doesn’t, won’t, can’t possibly get done. Not a chance.
So last week we made the list of all the things you want for 2016, your ‘be your own Santa Claus – going to make it happen’ list of amazing things.
This list could have included number of customers, expansion ideas, health goals, vacations schedule, investments secured, of course money made and many other things – really – there is no judgment or questioning – it’s your list and that’s all that matters.
Now for the new year, this one is my absolutely favorite and I’ve been teaching this for years and years and I gotta tell you most no one ever does it and I don’t know why because it’s a lot of fun.
Remember these three words…
Elimination.
Delegation.
Mitigation.
Just a lovely series of three words all about YOU DOING LESS…and getting rid of things that are in your way, that are holding you back. bogging you down and otherwise distracting you from being your best, happiest, most effective self.
At the beginning of every year people create their ‘resolutions’ and agreements they make with themselves and I think these are wonderful, powerful, and important.
However, many times these resolutions end up making our lives more full, more cluttered, more complicated and busier.
Not good.
The rules are very simple, if you add something to your life you have to subtract something else you have to have a balanced equation. You can’t add hours to your day but you can take away things from the hours that you have and then place other things in them.
Read it again because it is the definition of insanity – putting too much in the too few hours and thinking you are going to be better, faster, stronger to get it all done at a level of quality and execution that makes your proud and profitable.
Sorry, not going to happen.
That’s why the most important list you will ever make for the New Year, each and every year, are all the things you need to eliminate, delegate, or mitigate.
Quick examples though I’m sure it’s pretty obvious already.
You walk into your office and you can’t find anything, you are stressed out and totally inefficient because you do not have what you need where and when you need it and above all else your mind can’t be tricked when you see the mess it bothers you.
Eliminate the clutter. It must go and then you must back it up with a resolution to keep it clean, clear and organized.
If you are doing anything other than what you are best at or you are reducing your time selling, creating, growing the business, motivating the people, doing what only you can do…you must delegate more, get down to your top 1 or 2 or at the very most 3 things that you do better than anyone and you are the only one who can do.
Make the list of the ways you waste time and stop.
Finally, the mitigation list is often overlooked…but it is reality…for example you could be using email, reading this for example, and of course you don’t want to eliminate or delegate me, heavens no that would be crazy. I’m feeding your mind with amazing positive thoughtful and profitable ideas every week, but you don’t have to be looking at your email everyday, you don’t have to have your phone set up to notify you or your computer set up to pop up with new messages, you don’t have to be interrupted from anything that is more important.
So mitigate the interruptions by putting more structure into your day, week, month and routines.
Here’s what I believe, you can’t have a resolution (at least one that will be successful) without also having something to balance it out on this list of elimination, delegation, mitigation.
To get you started, just make a list of everything that gets in your way, frustrates you, weighs on your mind, takes you off your game, causes you to lose focus or hinders your performance, progress, and profitability.
Then go to work tackling each item until they are all taken care of.
Now commit to sticking to it by making firm decisions, having a resolution to balance the void now created. And, most importantly build up your self-discipline muscles to charge forward into 2016 with great confidence knowing you are going to make it happen because you prepared to be successful at supporting your peak performance and execution.
Hey, Happy New Year, let’s make it so, and by the way, take some time to celebrate, pat yourself on the back, reflect a little, and then turn your attention towards the future, where life is lived, dreams are created, and prosperity abounds, you do deserve everything you want and desire – go make it happen!
Category : Blog
