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Darren Hardy - Written by Darren Hardy on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 8:39 - 37 Comments
Workaholics Anonymous—A 12-Step Program of Recovery and Personal Transformation (Step 1)
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In my last blog post (read here) I took a major step in making this my best year ever: I admitted that I’m a workaholic in need of intervention. I know many of you out there are like me—in constant motion but never quite able to move beyond relative success.
So, as promised, I’m going to share what I have learned from the super-achievers I’ve interviewed in SUCCESS over the past year. I’ve outlined 12 Steps for changing those behaviors that block our creative juices and stifle our potential. This week, we’re going to focus on putting a stop to the little things that keep us from achieving our big goals in life.
STEP 1: Make a STOP-Doing List
We all have our to-do lists, those sometimes endless tasks that we believe, when finished, will shoot us into the stratosphere of success. However, have you noticed that while you check some tasks off, the list keeps growing? Your work days get longer, your time with family dwindles, and you find that even though you are in constant motion, you’re really standing still.
Your personal transformation has to begin by recognizing the difference between the things that matter and lead you down the path to success and those that might be distracting you and limiting your potential achievement.
Pareto Principle, 80/20 Rule: 20 percent of your activity produces 80 percent of your income. Simply put, it means that you should spend 80 percent of your time on the 20 percent of your activities really responsible for driving your income.
I know the Pareto Principle principle well. In fact, people pay me to teach it to them. Yet I still am sucked into the 80 percent of the unproductive activities. Why? Because I’m an addict. I’m like a moth to a flame. I say to myself, “Oh, there is something small I can accomplish and get off my plate. Let me get involved in that!” But, that must stop!
As I went through my 2009 goal-planning exercise, I ADDED several major projects and heavyweight to-dos to my list. My dilemma became crystal clear. The only way I will have time for my big-idea projects is to stop doing the little stuff that completely consumes me all day, every day.
Separate the Majors from the Minors
If you log your activities hourly or look back over your calendar for the previous week, I’ll bet you spent major chunks of time on minor activities that resulted in minor achievements. We all do it. It’s called the “results by volume” approach. I know this because I am guilty of it.
The Pareto Principle is different from the being busy versus being productive debate—that’s Efficiency Training 101. This is a more urbane understanding of achievement. I’m always focused on being productive; I am relentless about it. I never waste time, and I’m always looking for ways to multitask and do more in the same amount of time. I even joke by saying I work in a 26/7 environment, where every day I have to figure out how to get two extra hours of work completed with time that doesn’t exist! Can you see my sickness?
There are many projects and initiatives we engage in that, if successful, still produce minor achievements. This is how we end up with less than the big triumphs we see others attain.
Here is the Key to STEP 1:
Distinguish between the major and minor projects, activities, commitments, responsibilities and initiatives. Then, STOP doing the minors. You will now have the time to focus your energy and creative thought process (remember my theme for the year: Do Less, Think More) on bigger and better things—the things that will produce the breakthrough results and victories you seek.
Now, looking back, every big-time CEO or super-achiever I have met has lived this principle. None of them would allow themselves to become mired in minor tasks; they give their time and attention only to major issues. They focus their organizations on major goals and initiatives and constantly say no to distracting, minor projects.
There’s an old axiom that now makes sense to me, “It is not what you do that determines the level of your success, but rather what you don’t do.” Keep that in mind as you review your to-do lists.
Accomplish More by Doing Less
So, to start on your road to recovery, make the following two lists now:
- List 10 projects, activities or commitments you are going to STOP doing.
- List the three most important projects or activities necessary to achieve your BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals). FOCUS on them.
Each day, don’t make a long list of minor to-dos; just write down the three major activities you want to achieve that day.
Ah, feeling better already? I know I am.
Support Group
Here’s a way we can all support each other on this journey. In the comment section below, write three things you are going to STOP DOING in 2009. Later, I will organize and publish the Top 10—something that will be interesting and useful to us all.
Here are three of mine:
1. Stop checking e-mail all day. I will check e-mail only twice a day, ideally at 10:30 A.M. and 4 P.M.
2. Stop working on Saturday. Saturday will be my day to focus on my family and refuel.
3. Stop being the center of control. I will empower others to deliver and lead more.
Next Week – STEP 2. Stay the course with me. STEP 2 is a big one… and one that will help you further stay committed to STEP 1.
Follow Darren behind the scenes of SUCCESS: www.twitter.com/DarrenHardy
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37 Responses to “Workaholics Anonymous—A 12-Step Program of Recovery and Personal Transformation (Step 1)”
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[...] should be doing in order to get better results in your life. We covered this process extensively in Step 1 and your Stop-Doing [...]
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This is great! Oh my Gosh, after reading all the stops from people above, I found out that I have to stop doing more than 40 things I had been doing - no wonder why I had been so busy but not successful in my business.
Thank you! after all this 2009 will be great for me too.
Gloria Christiansen
[Reply]
[...] Step 1 we figured out the things we needed to stop doing—our compulsive responses to work addictions, [...]
1. Stop watching the news or reading the newspaper so the media can’t influence me
2. Stop sleeping less then 3 hours a night
3. Stop checking my e-mails though out the day
2009 is going to a GREAT year……enjoy the ride!!!!
Live with passion and always, always THINK BIG!!!!!!!!!
[Reply]
This is great! Thanks for this Darren. So many great “stops” posted already - here are three big stop priorities for me as they continue to block my progress:
1) Stop ignoring the need for a life plan…stop procrastinating and write it down. I am worthy of having a plan.
2) Stop letting the world and the people I encounter make me feel small. My circumstances do not define who I am or who I will become.
3) Stop letting my days go on forever. Get a good night’s rest and start the next day on time and refreshed.
[Reply]
1. Focus.
2.Talk, talk, talk to people around you with your same goals and share info.
3. Read, write and imagine where you want to be.
[Reply]
1. Stop logging on my computer first thing on weekend mornings.
2. Stop being passive - have an attitude of abundance.
3. Stop avoiding planning and the necessary tasks that I don’t want to do.
[Reply]
This is just what I needed! My stop list:
1. Stop worrying and start focusing on recruiting and training.
2. Stop shortchanging my health by replacing exercise with work
3. Stop doing other people’s work for them, train them to do it for themselves.
Can’t wait for each segment, I need them all!
[Reply]
Here’s a few:
1. Stop trying to single-handedly figure out the best path to my career success and consider the Blitz Approach.
2. Stop waiting for opportunity and use my Blitz Team to create it.
3. Stop waiting for others to willingly help me and create a Blitz team that is dedicated to my success.
[Reply]
Here are my 3:
1. Stop disregarding my calendar and action items for less important things.
2. Stop doing important things last minute, this would improve the quality of my delivery.
3. Stop empowering other peoples weaknesses that render me powerless, after all it’s my choice.
[Reply]
Here are my three
1. Stop reading all emails to the end (I do not need to read them all)
2. Stop mixing personal issues with business issues
3. Stop being distracted by work during family time
Great job Darren
[Reply]
1. Stop procrastinating and start selling!
2. Stop procrastinating and start selling!
3. Stop procrastinating and start selling!
[FROM DARREN HARDY] Good list Scott. I encourage you to figure out what you do when you are not selling that enables your procrastination - i.e. stop surfing the internet, stop answering incoming calls when I am in “prime-time” prospecting time chunks, stop taking lunches lasting more than 45 minutes, etc. It’s important to figure out what things or devices you are using to enable your procrastination and STOP doing those things, otherwise you might not know how to interrupt the your patterns of procrastination.
[Reply]
This is awesome! I’m so glad I can read the others. IT’S SO HELPFUL…
1) As a Sales Manager… stop taking on client problems myself and begin pushing other non-sales departments to explore and resolve. (This is very tough because I want to personally act thoroughly on our client concerns)
2) Stop ‘pausing’ so often in the middle of major tasks.
3) Stop reading all the emails that I’m copied on (especially attachments).
[Reply]
A timely message, my friend. Here are 3:
1. Rewrite my highest priority goals each morning upon arising to get me focused on where to put my energy. One of my mentors does this morning and night and has grown his income (7 figures) by more than 100% in the past few years.
2. Do only those things that move me toward my ultimate vision during “work-time”. Schedule my family time and de-frag time to keep my self mentally alert and healthy.
3. Keep on-task and on-schedule. Avoid distractions and get back on track ASAP when blown off course.
2009 is going to be (and already is) an awesome year. Thank you for bringing back Success mag. Let’s grow!
[Reply]
Great post!
1. Think and focus on today only..not tomorrow or yesterday.
2. Steer clear of gossip and the like.
3. Replace wasted time ( mindless T.V, gaming & nonessential social networking ) with quality motivational reading and DVD’s.
[Reply]