BUILDING YOUR FORTRESS… one of my Coaching Clients (Jason) recently expressed major frustration at his inability to “stay on task”… especially in the morning. His observation was, “Bruce, I get started doing something and then I get interrupted… it happens all the time!” Does this sound familiar? Not an uncommon concern. In this ever evolving business world, it is very easy to become distracted. There is so much going on that to be one of those who is “singularly focused” is an exception. On the other side of the coin, there are a multitude of stories surrounding “gold-medal winning athletes” who have mastered the art of shutting out all distractions. One of the best books available on this topic is “The Power of Focus” by Canfield, Hansen, and Hewitt. It is an amazing read and really breaks down the process of “making yourself bulletproof” each day. Their suggestion is to “create a Fortress around you during those times you cannot afford to be interrupted” (example: your morning lead generation time).
Here is your ACTION STEP… back to my Coaching Client… we designed a specific plan for him so that his mornings would be protected. This plan doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs to be very specific. It looks like this…
BK’s “No Excuses No Distraction Morning Plan”… Building your Fortress
1. First thing, remind yourself WHY you need to stay on task (Review your Personal Goals…the BIG picture).
2. Decide on the top 2 to 3 items you must accomplish on this day… no matter what. These your Top Priorities in the next 12 hours (Write them down).
3. Make the connection between your Business Goals and your Activities (Understand the logic behind “cause & effect”…ie: I do this and I get that).
4. Have some very specific Rules (examples: no morning appointments, turn off your cell phone, no e-mails 8:30 – 12:00 noon, limit your personal breaks to 10 minutes each, no inbound phone calls, lock your door to outsiders, etc.).
5. Be sure to build up your “resistance muscle” during off hours (Read/listen to authors that inspire you every day – refill your tank with good stuff).
6. Follow a simple Daily Schedule for the times you are not going to allow any interruptions (Write It down, put it on the wall – highly visible).
7. Get an Accountability Partner (Stop trying to do everything on your own! Have someone hold you highly accountable, check in every day).
8. Critical Point: Make sure you are having some fun in your Personal Life in the off hours (“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”).
Is Jason’s Fortress Plan working? Absolutely! We built a Fort strong enough to withhold any assault. Now Jason is getting twice as much done every morning! I am his Accountability Partner. He reports his results to me every single day. Obviously the strength of this “Fortress” comes from within. You have to be committed to not letting anything “climb the walls of your fortress”. Lock the door and throw away the key! Build a rhythm of production every morning and let nothing… absolutely nothing get in the way. Two things will result from this powerful resolve… #1. You will get a tremendous amount of work done & #2. You will feel fantastic. As a result, the rest of the day will go equally well. Go build your own fortress. NO Excuses.