Overcome Your Biggest Enemy To Getting Started

“The key to overcoming procrastination is to strive for excellence instead of perfection.”

It was a very frustrating day in my life.   I had a very important presentation to make and I was running late. I got in my car and put the address into my GPS navigation system.  The response I got from the system was “searching for satellite signal”.  Out of frustration, I called the customer support line.  What the customer service agent told me applies to many of the entrepreneurs with whom I work.

She said, “Mr. Twiggs, with your model of GPS, you have to start moving towards your destination.  Once you are in motion, your system will engage and tell you what to do next.”

This experience taught me that the fastest way to get to where you are going is to start moving.  Keep reading and you will learn about the biggest enemy of getting started and how to overcome it. 

Perfectionism
Perfectionism is procrastination in disguise.  A perfectionist believes that he has to have all of the details in perfect order before beginning a project.  He puts off going to the networking function because his updated business cards have not arrived.  He delays writing his book because he doesn’t know which publisher he will choose.  He does not hire that key employee because he does not know all of the details of how the new healthcare legislation will impact his business. 

The question becomes, what can you do to overcome perfectionism?  Taking the following two steps will answer this question:

1. Be Clear On Your Destination - Steven Covey said it best: ”Begin with the end in mind.” The one thing that I had going for me in my GPS illustration was that I was certain about my destination.  Having a written plan that starts with a clear vision of where you want to end up is the key. 
   
   And, understanding the “why” behind what you are doing will make the “how” much easier. For example, my vision is to be a world class thought leader on the topic of time management.  Knowing this, makes me less likely to procrastinate when it comes to blogging or writing books.

2. Take Small Steps – The question you have to ask yourself is: “What is the next step towards my goal?” A small step in the direction of your goal is significant, and a much better alternative than standing still.

If you are writing a book, the next step may be creating the title. Writing a business plan would be a good next step for starting a business. Creating a job description would be a good first step to the hiring process. 

Being clear on your destination and taking small steps in that direction will allow you to overcome perfectionism and to put off procrastination! 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner
www.ericmtwiggs.com 

PS. For additional strategies on getting started, read my latest ebook, One Moment in Time.

Three Keys to Finding Your Calling

The year was 2002 and I was a District Manager in Corporate America responsible for over 500 employees and 17 locations. My boss called me with some great news. The Vice President of the company wanted to offer me the position of Midwest Regional Manager. I would be responsible for over 5,000 employees in 7 Midwest States. The promotion would include a significant increase in pay and I would be one of the youngest Regional Managers in the history of the company!

I spoke to my colleagues and they advised me to accept the position, and that saying NO would be career suicide. I asked my boss what he thought and he agreed. 

I took everyone’s advice into consideration and said NO to the opportunity. 

On the surface, taking the position seemed like a no brainer, but it failed The Line- up Test because it did not line up with the vision that I had for my life. The single factor that will help you to say NO to the wrong opportunity is clarity of purpose. When you are clear on your life’s purpose, your gut will tell you when you are taking a course of action that does not line up -- even when it seems like a good idea on the surface.

The question becomes:  How do you go about finding your calling? Keep reading and you will discover my three keys to finding your calling:

Pro Bono
This is a Latin phrase for professional work that is done for free. If we lived in a world without money, what would you spend your 5-8 hours doing? Your answer is an indication of your calling. I am sure that Lebron James and Tiger Woods would play their respective sports if there was no money involved. 

Passion
If you could make a difference for anyone or any cause, what would it be? I have observed certain ministers, police officers, and teachers in action. The passion that they demonstrate is a sign that they consider their work a calling and not just a job. 

Personal Abilities
What talent do you possess for which people are always complimenting you? Those compliments are confirmation of the direction that you should pursue. For example, if people in different settings are always complimenting your public speaking ability, joining your local Toastmasters club would be a good next step. Once you enter an environment that allows you to cultivate your gifts, your next steps become clearer.

I am living proof that when you make decisions based on what you believe you are called to do, everything works itself out. Three months after I said no to the promotion, the company went through a restructure and eliminated the job. If I had not listened to my gut, I would have been unemployed.

What would you do pro bono? What you are passionate about? What are your personal abilities? You will find your calling and make your future decision making process much easier once you answer these questions. 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. To get additional information on how to discover your calling, download my latest ebook, One Moment in Time.

Your 2-Minute Offense

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

- Cyril Parkinson

I am a fan of the National Football League. For me, the most intriguing aspect of the game is the 2-minute offense. When time is running out and a team is losing, they implement this” hurry up” offense in an attempt to catch up. There was one game in particular that comes to mind as a good example of this strategy. 

The Washington Redskins were playing the New Orleans Saints. Through the first three quarters, the Redskins were winning every phase of the game. The Saints struggled to move the ball and score points. 

Suddenly, in the 4th quarter with about eight minutes left, the Saints implemented the 2-minute offense. They scored more points in the last eight minutes than they did in the other three quarters combined! Why didn’t the Saints just run this offense the entire game? 

This reminds me of some of the executives that I have worked with that get more done the week before they go on vacation than they did in the previous three weeks of the month. Or the clerks at the local retail store that are able to check out more customers in the last 30 minutes before closing than they did the previous three hours. 

Or the college student that is able to get more accomplished on his term paper the week it's due than he did the entire semester. These three examples each have one thing in common -- improved productivity resulting from an urgent deadline. Is it possible to have the same level of focus on a project or task without the existence of a pending deadline? 

Important But NOT Urgent
The first key to maintaining the right level of focus on an important project is to begin BEFORE it becomes urgent. Author Stephen Covey breaks down time management into four quadrants:

1. Important and urgent
2. Important but not urgent
3. Not important and urgent
4. Not important and not urgent

If the college student started the term paper at the beginning of the semester, it would be a Quadrant 2 activity because it is important, but not due until the end of the term. Waiting until the last minute makes it a Quadrant 1 activity. Resolve to identify and complete your important projects before they become urgent. 

Time Block
Once you have identified the important project, the next step is to create the urgency. This can be done by scheduling specific blocks of time for completion. Using a timer to give yourself a deadline. For example, when I write my blog, I set my timer for 30 minutes. When the alarm buzzes, I have to stop whether I am finished or not. Having a deadline forces me to make the best use of the time that I have. I eliminate all outside distractions and only focus on the task at hand. Writing my blog is important, and blocking out the time allows me to finish well before it becomes urgent.

Some of the good football teams run the 2-minute offense early in the game when they are ahead on the scoreboard. If you commit to identifying your Quadrant 2 activities, and blocking out time for completion, you will have successfully implemented your own 2-minute offense! 

Sincerely,
Eric M Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner
 

Motivational Message: What Drives You?

This week I share a short video that will inspire you to find your true purpose and passion in life. Time is best spent doing what you love. 

Sincerely,
Eric Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. My ebook, One Moment in Time, will help you find and focus on your passions. It's is now available for download on my website. 

Two Questions That Will Move You From Procrastination to Prosperity

Years ago, I was recruited to participate in a multi-level marketing business that boasted unlimited income potential. I went to the initial meeting and noticed that several people who had less business experience than I  appeared to be doing very well. Unfortunately, I did not experience the same success. 

Looking back, I realize that procrastination played a major role in my failure to achieve my goals. The people that experienced success dedicated their evenings and weekends to growing the business. They passionately hit the road five nights a week, while I came up with reasons to be too busy. Why didn’t I have the same drive? 

My only motivation for getting into the business was to make more money. As a result, I was not willing to make the necessary sacrifices and put in the time required to be great. 

There are two questions that you should ask yourself before starting a career or business. Asking yourself these questions will move you from procrastination to prosperity.

1: Do you Have a Passion for the Product?
In his book The Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell introduced the “10,000-Hour Rule”. According to his research, it takes an individual 10,000 hours of deliberate practice at a specific skill or activity to become world class at it. If you lack the passion, you will be more likely to procrastinate, than to become world class. According to my math, if you work at your chosen craft for 50 hours a week for 4 years, you will have put in over 10,000 hours. Are you willing to invest that kind of time and effort into something that you don’t love? 

2: Does The Business Fit Your Personality?
Modern psychology tells us that everyone falls into one of the four basic personality types: Driver, Motivator, Analytical, and Supporter. Below is a brief description of each type:

1. Driver – This is also known as a “Type A” personality. A Driver likes to be in control, is results driven, a risk taker and makes quick decisions. Successful CEO’s and entrepreneurs fit this profile. This personality type is a good fit for leadership positions.
2. Motivator – The motivator is the social butterfly that is easy to like and a strong communicator. They are very persuasive and like to engage in conversation. Motivators do well in positions that involve public speaking, coaching or selling.
3. Analytical – The Analytic likes facts, statistics and data. When making decisions, they take time to analyze the facts and don’t jump to conclusions. Positions that involve research, accounting and analysis are a good fit for this personality type.
4. Supporter – Supporters are easy to like, people pleasers, and avoid confrontation at all costs. They prefer to focus on one task at a time and work at a slow pace. Positions that have high stability, low risk and repetitive tasks  work best for the supporter.

So, there you have it. If you have a passion for the product, and your personality is a fit for the business, you will move from procrastination to prosperity. 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

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