Change is not…
Month: January 2020
One Step
When most of us think of transformation, we think of dramatic, significant change that takes place on a large scale. But that really isn’t the case.
Transformation is best made one small step at a time that moves you towards your goal. And I think there in lies the problem for many people.
We live in a day and age where the dramatic is valued. And without dramatic change happening in a relatively small timeframe, most people give up on transformation because the small steps many times go unnoticed.
Let’s face it, small steps done on a daily basis can sometimes be boring. It can seem as though we are not truly making any progress. But the facts don’t support that thought.
Right now there are Olympic athletes preparing for both winter and summer events. They don’t just simply get off the plane and go out and win gold. No, today they take multiple small steps towards the goal of winning gold. They practice. They condition. They work on their thought process. Multiple upon multiple of small steps are involved in getting them towards their gold medal.
So if you are working on transformation, do not be discouraged. It is in the small daily steps that you will truly transform your life, your health, and your business. Be intentional. Be disciplined. And realize those small steps will move you toward your ultimate goal of success.
The 12 Week Year – Getting More Done
At the prompting of a mentor of mine, Karl LaPan (CEO of the NIIC here in Fort Wayne, Indiana, last week I bought and started reading The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran. If you are wanting to become more efficient and get more done in business and in life, buy this book. I’ve provided the Amazon link above. It is excellent. Here are some excerpts that are causing me to think and act differently:
“Most of us have two lives: the lives we live and the lives we are capable of living.”
“The barrier standing between you and life you are capable of living is a lack of consistent execution.”
“Vision is the starting point of all high performance. You create things twice; first mentally, then physically. You will never outpace your mental models.”
“To be truly effective, your daily activity must align with your long-term vision, strategies, and tactics. Your results are created by your actions.”
“A study conducted a few years ago by Salary.com found that the average person wastes nearly two hours of every working day.”
“Accountability is not consequences but ownership. The only things you control are your thinking and your actions.”
“…the difference between greatness and mediocrity on a daily and weekly basis is slim, yet the difference in results down the road is tremendous.”
“…you can be great, beginning today, simply by choosing to do the things you know you need to do.”
Habits Decide Futures
The Transformation “Doings” by Jim Johnson
Transformation requires work. We all know that. Years ago I read that to realize change, we need to start doing some things and stop doing others to get us to where we want to be.
Transformation requires these 2 “doings” – START and STOP
If you want to transform an area of your personal and/or work life, you will need to START doing something new, in different ways. Why? As I wrote last time, if you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always gotten. So, transformation requires that we START to do something new – the CHANGE.
If you want, for example, more energy, lose weight, and improve the overall sense of health in your life, you can START doing something new by:
- Drinking more water.
- Get regular exercise.
- Choose healthier food options.
- Visit your doctor on a regular basis.
But in order to improve your health, you will most likely need to STOP doing things that will hinder this goal:
- Stop drinking soda pop.
- Stop eating junk food throughout the day.
- Stop going through the drive-thru lane at a local fast food restaurant multiple times per week.
- Stop plopping yourself in front of the TV for hours each evening.
START Here:
So on this 2nd day of the new year, think about where you need transformation. Write it down. Next, create a 2-column list and write as headings START DOING and STOP DOING. Fill out each column. This list is not a wish list. It is a doing list. If you think you’ll waiver on this, share your list with a friend who can help with accountability (in fact, why not ask a friend or two to do this along with you).
We can tend to think of transformation as some sort of dramatic life event that will catapult us to a new level. Maybe in the movies, but in the real world, transformation takes planning, determination, work, and intention.
And it can be as simple as this:
START doing the things that will move you closer to what you want to be, achieve.
STOP doing the things that put up obstacles on the road to your transformation
Go, Leader, Grow! 