All actions are not created equal.
Most of us go through each day feeling as if we are moving 100 miles an hour. We are doing, doing, doing. But at the end of the day, have we really done what we wanted to get done?
Sometimes...and sometimes not.
This is often referred to as the difference between being ‘busy’ and being productive. There are days when we get a lot accomplished, and there are days when, although it felt like we didn’t stop moving, we got very little checked off our to-do list.
The reason this happens is because there are different types of action; there is action that is simply movement, and there is action that is results-driven.
When you are results-driven, your behavior changes. You become more deliberate, more intentional, and more focused. When you become more intentional, you do the things that consistently move you forward, and your results reflect that.
Want to get better results consistently? Here are seven ways to be more intentional in your business
1- Set goals with a map or a plan of action - and stick to the plan. Goal setting and planning is a major part of succeeding, but if you set goals and make plans and don’t work them, you will find yourself “stuck” more often than you will find yourself moving forward. When you stick to your plan, you take all the indecision out of the mix. You wake up and know what you are going to do that day. You get an opportunity and you know what actions to take. When the guess work is taken out of the way, you have more clarity and allow yourself to be more intentional.
2- Expand your horizons to see if there are ways to do things differently or more efficiently than you are currently doing them. By mixing things up just a little bit, you eliminate the potential stagnation and ineffectiveness that comes from just “going through the motions.” When you consciously choose to look at things from a slightly different angle, you see the possibilities to keep yourself running smoothly and efficiently. No matter how smoothly things are going, there are always ways to do it better - always be open-minded.
3- Hold yourself accountable. Create systems like my Power Hour™system, which helps you to identify your four income-producing activities. Have an accountability buddy or belong to a mastermind group - one where others give you homework assignments to bring to the table the next week. The more you put yourself in positions of personal responsibility, the more your actions will align with holding yourself accountable.
4- Address your inconsistencies. Create habits or routines, and then create better ones! A great way to embrace consistency is to start with your time commitments. Schedule things at the same times every day or week, so you always know what you are doing and when you are doing it. Look at your life and schedule things accordingly. For example, you might say: I exercise every morning from 8:30-9:00 am, on Tuesdays from 1-4 pm, I see clients, on Wednesdays at 11:00 am, I record my podcast, and on Mondays and Fridays, I write blog posts. It’s easier to hold yourself accountable when you already know what you are going to do.
5- Align yourself with the right people. It’s not all about you, and you don't have to do it all on your own (actually, you will never do it all on your own!). Finding the right people to help you get where you want to be is a big piece to success. Find a mentor, find the right people to do the jobs you cannot, get a strong support system of Your Three People.
6- Increase your awareness. Always remain a student so that you can always learn new things. Find out all you can about your business and stay curious about it. If you get to the point where you think you know it all, you have nowhere to go but backwards. Sometimes that means getting out of your comfort zone...give yourself permission to do that.
7- Learn to manage your pace. When we don’t pace ourselves, the result is often burn-out. Understand there is no destination, only an ongoing journey. Learn to enjoy the journey. To make it happen, you don’t need to make it all happen right now! It’s so easy to put off your joy and push things like time for your family, your hobbies, and your me-time off into the future. The danger with that is, as so many people have found out too late, there is no “I’ve arrived.” That future doesn’t always come and, if you push the important things to the side until you “succeed,” all you have really done is set yourself up for disappointment.
All actions are not created equal.
When you get clarity on which of your daily actions are keeping you “busy” and which ones are moving you forward, you can consistently take results-oriented action that will get you to your dreams and goals. Having a road map is of no use to you, unless you keep looking at it, keep following it, and keep your foot on the gas pedal.