2. EXECUTION
Execute your small objectives,
focusing on your main objective. Don't find reasons to procrastinate. Jump headfirst
into the challenge and start chipping away. You never know what problems will
present them-selves before you step into the arena.
·
Break your goal
into small steps. Break it down into smaller goals. Focus on streamlining your
idea; then focus on getting funding; then move onto building a prototype, etc.
If you have the vision to attack your goal piece by piece, it's easier and less
daunting to execute.
Stay away from distractions as much as
possible. Distractions are either the spice of life or the forbidden fruit,
depending on your perspective. But let's be clear: it's almost impossible to be
100% focused on you task 100% of the time. Distractions are okay in low doses.
But when your goals start taking a backseat to petty distractions, it's time to
banish them.
Surround yourself with other people
who are successful. When you're surrounded with people who are
highly-driven, it's encouraging. You can bounce ideas off people, and they can
even connect you with other people. Surrounding yourself with driven,
successful people is a way to create a culture of success.
·
Study successful
people. Who has the success that you envision for yourself? What are they
doing? How do they approach life? Ask them for advice. Model some of your approaches around
theirs, if possible. Knowledge is as free as it is powerful.
Trust other people to do their job. It's hard
to be successful if you don't trust the people around you. Being successful is
partly about assembling an able team around you. If you can't trust others
enough to let them do their job, you probably won't succeed at that.
·
Trust in people
because trust can be an incredibly motivating factor. If you trust in someone,
they'll want to do well because they want to reward your trust in them. This is
a powerful motivator.
·
Trust in people
because you need to.
Find a mentor. A mentor
is someone, usually with a bit more experience than you, who knows the trade,
offers advice, and helps you in your pursuit. Behind many successful people are
mentors. Mentors get satisfaction out of knowing that their guidance has
literally bred success.
·
A mentor will
help you:
·
Network. Networking is making connections with people
who have connections. Contrary to popular belief, networking is mutually
beneficial. You offer expertise, opinion, or opportunity to someone in exchange
for something back.
·
Troubleshoot. Troubleshooting is learning about how to
make ideas or applications even better. Your mentor can help you figure out
what you need to change in order to make your idea(s) even better.
·
Strategize. A mentor will probably have more vision than
you because s/he's been in the game longer, with more successes and failures.
You can draw on their legacy of experience to strategize about their future.
Gather as much information as you can. Listen. Study. Understand. Learn. Repeat. Humans are amazing creatures
because we can look at the world, make intellectual connections, and use those
connections to make our lives better (or potentially worse). This is what
information allows us to do. Never turn your "learning switch" off.
You never know when your flash of insight will come!
Look at what the numbers are telling you. Did you ever have an idea about something but were afraid that the
numbers wouldn't back it up? That fear is normal, but it's a good idea to let
the numbers give you guidance. Better to be wrong and adapt than to stubbornly
insist you're doing it right when the numbers don't back that up.
Take calculated risks. Step out
of your comfort zone. Successful people think big and act big. Don't wait for
opportunities to fall in your lap. Sniff them out. Successful people make big investments (in their
careers, in their businesses, in their education) and all investments involve
risk. Study your risks, make sure the odds are in your favor, and take a leap. Be bold. Three
calculated risks to consider:
·
Partner with a
competitor. Whether you're a long distance runner or rolling out back-end
solutions to technology giants, partnering with the competition may help you
pool your resources, motivate you to work harder, and build new relationships.
·
Lead, don't
follow. Leading the way can be dangerous. You're taking on the headwinds
literally, perhaps, or you're banking on an idea — like Facebook or Google —
that someone has already tried before. Summon up the courage to do something
different, if not different.
·
Hit singles and
doubles, not home runs. Of course, hitting a home run isn't a bad thing at all!
It's just that you can't rely on them to win the game every single time. Try
letting singles and doubles add up to the same value as home runs.
Solve problems. People who are successful encourage progress by
solving problems and answering questions. No matter where you are or what
you're doing, look around and try and think of ways you can contribute.
·
Which problems
are you motivated to solve?
·
Social problems. Facebook reinvented the way we interact
with one another. Can you think of a similar social problem that needs
reinventing?
·
Technology
problems. Companies
like Dell design smaller and more powerful computer processors that help our
user experience line up with our expectations. Can you assist people do with
technology what they already want to do?
·
Strategic
problems. Consultants
like IBM help other companies and individuals become more productive,
profitable, and prudent. Can you help someone else solve a strategic problem?
·
Interpersonal
problems. Psychologists
and marriage counselors help other people navigate the complex web of personal relationships
that make up our lives. Can you help people better get along with one another?
Use technology, don't let it use you. Technology can be incredibly powerful; it connects us with people around
the world in the blink of an eye; it computes algorithms accurately and
quickly; it makes mundane tasks, like data entry, easier and less painful. But
technology can be a burden if you let it. It can sap your energy and
productivity, leading to wasted opportunity
