Top Ten Keys for Success
What does it really take to find success in life? Success can be defined in lots of different ways. From my experience, it is elusive in any context without intent, purpose and a plan. I’ve developed my own list of keys for success. I do my best to model these in my life and work. Below I’ve provided the list, a bit of commentary and links to resources.
1. Take care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually
Health and wellness tops the list. Most people are “too busy” to take care of themselves. It is, in fact, ourselves that have the ability to drive success. Start with yourself and get the rest, exercise, nutrition and recovery you need.
Resources: Sleep Goals
2. Establish work and life boundaries that are shared with others
Boundaries are necessary for us all. We need guardrails on life to help us stay on track. Boundaries can be scheduling, dealing with people or a process to manage ourselves.
Resources: Lenses Scheduling Email Protocol
3. Control your calendar and time
I believe in calendaring everything. Take time to plan your time and you’ll soon find you have more than you thought. Know what an hour of your time is worth and track your time. Consistently ask yourself, “What am I doing that someone else could, or should, be doing”.
Resources: Time Scheduling Distractions
4. Nurture and grow healthy relationships
Relationships matter. It’s great to have friends at work. We also need to nurture relationships personally. Seek out healthy relationships. Work to build the capacity to be authentic, trusting and caring with those you love.
Resources: Conversations Diversity Conversational Capacity Leadership and Self Deception
5. Live out your brand attributes
You are a brand. You represent certain attributes to those who you meet and those you work and live with. Be deliberate in identifying the attributes you chose to exhibit. Define them, test them and live them. Get feedback from others and work to be aligned with your personal brand.
Resources: Branding Competitive Advantage Habits Identity Based Habits
6. Have a clear process describing how you do, what you do
Mapping out a workflow process is critical for success. We all need to know the “business drivers” that make or break our business. Build a process and playbook for each key area of your business and life, then stick to it!
Resources: Traction Scaling Up Hyper Sales Growth Double Double
7. Build an easily explainable flywheel
Jim Collins taught the value of having a flywheel in the iconic book, “Good to Great”. He added to that with the recently released monograph, “Turning the Flywheel”. Taking time to build my own flywheel was one of the most impactful exercises I did in 2019. Start with the end in mind.
Resources: Good to Great Turning the Flywheel My Flywheel
8. Maintain visible personal and professional goals and a single most important goal
Setting goals is not enough. We must connect our “why”, purpose and core values with our goals. Additionally, making goals visible to others and ourselves increases the level of accountability. By finding a “most important goal” you will identify the anchor activity or habit that leads to achievement.
Resources: Reflections Goals Stickk
9. Develop a written strategic plan for the next three years
Trajectory is more important than achievement. Making the effort to build a plan helps keep you on track. Share the plan with others and make sure it aligns with your core values, mission and vision.
Resources: Strategic Planning Worksheet Vision Traction Organizer One Page Strategic Plan (Scaling Up)
10. Consistently review financial progress in business and life
Next to overconfidence, the biggest mistake I see small business owners make is not knowing their numbers. Financial optics and clear Key Performance Indicators for every business. Set routine meetings to review financials. Build an advisory board and follow best practices for financial health, personally and professionally. Additionally, tracking your sales funnel and progress should not be overlooked.
Resources: KPIs and Flash Reporting 90 Ideas to Cut Costs Financial Insights Sales Funnel