I challenge myself to devote a set number of hours toward my goals.
This is a real, honest commitment to getting it done.
I remember in college, I would complain about having spent 3 hours in class and then 2 hours studying. I was so tired and couldn’t go out and play. However, the real truth was more like daydreaming for 2.5 hours in class and paying attention for about 30 minutes and then who knows what for home work. A little dilly dallying here and procrastinating there and yes, 2 hours had gone by..
I still had not learned what I had set out to learn.
The same has been true in my sales business, which makes for monkey business! I would come to the office bright and early, before anyone else, put on a pot of coffee, get my desk just right, and then fiddle around the net until my first colleague showed up. I’d have a chat, make a cup of joe, and perhaps go check my snail mail (did I expect anything other than junk?..no). I might walk down to the bagel shop for a treat, come back to answer a few emails, make a couple calls, and then head out..destination unknown. It was 11:30 and I’d been at the office since 7, but for what. I would have been better served by staying in bed, watching cartoons, and aimlessly wandering around my house.
I still had created any new business. My work was not done.
Note – This has obviously not always been the case, however it has taken place often enough to require a measure of attention.
Where am I going with this..
I might be at work, but am I really working? I may be at school, but I am really concentrating on learning?
A trick may be just to committ to focusing, laser focus, on the task at hand and then really getting after it. My experience has been that this causes a few things to happen:
1. I make major progress on the tasks that I have set out to complete.
2. I achieve small victories that I am able to celebrate in lieu of my diligence.
3. Given that I’ve gotten it done, I am able to enjoy the procrastitory (is that a word?) activities when they come about.
4. I make my mom proud that I actually did my homework.
The best feeling in the world is to set a goal, make a viable action plan to achieve it, and then complete it. It is so nice, on so many levels, to check a task off of the to-do list.
Perhaps that is all I need to do..I have my goals on paper. I have a plan to systemically achieve them. Now I’ll just commit working on them, really focusing and working on them for a set number of hours a day. Let’s say it 4 hours, every day, for now. That is plenty of time to do damage
This isn’t going to be easy as I am currently in school and working full time, but only I can make it happen. Only me.
You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you will be the guy who’ll decide where you’ll go. Oh the places you’ll go.
Dr. Seuss
Are you comitted?