Habits shape our success. Here are techniques that turn average performers into rock stars. Changing behavior is hard. When you unlock the secret to create sustaining habits, your potential is unleashed.
The resources below are to help you transform your habits toward great success in business and life.
Identity Based Habits - Answer the question, “Who do you want to become?” Make daily decisions with that question in mind.
Focus on Routines - Morning, Mid Day, Evening and Bedtime. Consider what you’re doing now. Use the Habit Scorecard to evaluate each habit.
Anchor Habits - Find the habit or routine that moves you toward your goals. These are Anchor Habits, the most important activities you do that have the greatest impact.
Disfluency - Interrupting a norm, routine or habit. Creating an intentional break in a routine can create a change in your habits.
Saying No - The most important word to achieving people is no.
Automated Habits - Find the tools, systems and processes that allow the “work to come to you”. Here are a few examples:
Bonus Information: How do I cut email time in half?
I hate email! Email can be a huge time waster and pull you away from more important activities. I manage email in three ways; first, I use Spark. Spark is an app and desktop product that allows me to send email to the future. I use the phrase “send things where they go and when they go'“. Using this approach, I read email three times per day; when I wake up, mid day and end of work day.
Secondly, I have developed an Email Protocol. I add this to the end of my email signature so people will have an expectation of when I will respond. I do not treat email as urgent and let members know this. They can text or call me when urgent. I change my voicemail daily as well, (learned from Jack Daly). This adds to the expectations around communication and is valuable as a marketing impression.
Finally, I have a mindset of “Inbox Zero”, meaning I do not allow email to interfere with my focus and build up in my inbox. To model this for members, I do not email over the weekend or reply-all. Following this processed has dramatically reduced the volume of email I receive, allowed me to be more focused and helped members get control of their email.
Tools
Spark
Voxer
Books
Atomic Habits, James Clear
Hyper Sales Growth, Jack Daly
The Power of a Positive No, William Ury
Personal Note: In my session, I mentioned my friend and fellow chair Les Whitney is battling cancer. His CaringBridge page is found at www.caringbridge.org/visit/leswhitney.
In a recent post Les wrote, “As of this morning I have had 248 unique visitors to this site visiting close to 4,000 times. My goal is to reach 10,000 unique visitors. Why? because if I can provide hope or inspiration to just 1% of those people than I will have helped 100 people achieve a new level the greatness within them. Please share my blog. I'd love to hear about bible study groups using my journey to fuel their conversations. I'd love medical school students to begin dialogs around cancer and healthy mindset. I'd like young students to discuss adversity and strength, and I'd love Vistage groups around the world to discuss the fragility of life and the importance of living each day to the fullest.”
Thoughts and prayers for Les and gratitude for his continued willingness to model care and concern for others.