Bountiful Results

As a manager, getting bountiful results often requires the juggling of  multiple projects and tasks at the same time.  At times it is like juggling elephants.  When we cannot not focus on individual tasks and projects one at a time, we will find that this leads to stress and mediocre results.

I know that when I sit down to read an article or a book, I do not get too far before a thought pops into my mind about how to apply what I just read or a reminding thought about something that I need to do.  If I choose to ignore it and continue reading – the thought pops back up again.  At this point, I have a couple of options:  1. I can move on and expect frequent interruptions or 2. I can stop what I am doing and act on the thoughts by writing it down or go act on the thoughts. I often choose the latter option.  I keep a notepad with me or read with my laptop open and at the ready to take notes.  Our brain is an incredible thing.  It will try keep stuff in short term memory for as long as possible.  In order to keep it there it will need to bring it to the conscious level often, which means that it will disrupt what we are currently focusing on. Our sub-conscious knows that the memory is the only way of retaining a thought until we either white it down for future consideration or act on it.  Short term memory is believed to be 15-30 seconds.  If old memories are disrupting new thoughts it is very likely that you will forget or not retain the information you are currently trying to focus on.  This is why it is important to write down the interrupting thoughts.

To manage multiple priorities, we must be able to focus on one task at a time, even if it is for a minute.We them must clear that from our short term memory and then totally focus on the next task.

There are some great books out there that will give you different techniques for clearing one thing out of the way and bringing another into focus. The important thing is to find the one that works for you. I encourage people to read many points of view- try them and apply what gets results.  This is the premise of the bountiful results principle.  I do not have the only method for achieving exceptional results.  The Bountiful Results Principle is the method of applying what what works for you and getting bountiful results in the process.

The following is how I apply the principle to managing multiple priorities:

1. Acknowledge that I Need to do a better job of focusing on one project at a time.

2.Write out a Plan that includes SMART goals, learning objectives, milestones and reward.

3. Act on the plan soon and act boldly.

4. Acquire the necessary Tools to accomplish the training.

5. Motivate myself frequently by keeping my need in focus. Seek outside Motivation if necessary.

6. Adjust the plan and action if unforeseen circumstances derail my efforts to achieve the results that I desire.

7. Spend as much Time as necessary to achieve lasting results rather than a temporary fix. Do not mistake this for a license to coast and feel like you have all the time in the world.  The objective should be to achieve in the shortest time necessary so you can apply your new found results and skills. While all 7 components are critical to achieving results, short-cutting the time needed to achieve lasting results has become a major problem in today’s society.

These 7 components can be applied to any and all specific techniques on focusing and managing priorities.  The key is to use all 7.

The New Year is almost upon us – Are you resolved to go the extra mile and achieve bountiful results in all that you do in 2010?

From the Declaration of Independence … “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

I want to stress that we were endowed with the right to pursue happiness.  Happiness is not a right.  I should not expect someone else to provide me with happiness if I cannot achieve it through my efforts.

When I get bountiful results, I feel great happiness because the fruits of my efforts have been realized.  Accomplishing goals brings me so much more happiness than objects and physical things.  The memories of the pursuit are cherished as much as the results.

A couple things that I think help us achieve happiness are:

• Understanding where are values are and aligning our actions with our values.  I value freedom, family, and personal accountability.  I love the freedom to do what I think is best for my family and I take full responsibility for it.
• Understanding that most lasting happiness is built over time – one piece at a time and built with pleasure in the process of accomplishment.

In doing some research for this blog, I found a great site that had the following quotes that I feel reflect my perception of happiness.  http://www.thehappyguy.com

Happiness is mostly a by-product of doing what makes us feel fulfilled.
This definition of happiness by Dr. Benjamin Spock

Happiness comes only from appreciating what you have right now. You can even be happy by appreciating your troubles because they are helping to build your character.
This definition of happiness by Harriet Meyerson

The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances.
This definition of happiness by Martha Washington.

Happiness can be defined, in part at least, as the fruit of the desire and ability to sacrifice what we want now for what we want eventually.
This definition of happiness by Stephen Covey

For me, Happiness is our perspective of our efforts and the results that they have produced. I can be happy about a failed attempt to accomplish something if I know that I have successfully found a way not to do it.  We can learn from our failures and our obstacles.  Store that information away and recall it the next time you are in a similar situation.

I know that I am responsible for my happiness.  I must not let others dictate my happiness.  I must not blame others when I am not happy.  Pursue bountiful results in your life and happiness will join you in the pursuit.

The 4th component of getting bountiful results is the tools and training needed to get results.  Each and everyone of us has a unique set of skills and training that we have accumulated as we have gone through life.  Each of us are qualified to do something with our talents and skills.

Understanding how tools and training are crucial to getting results will help you on your journey to Bountiful Results.  Using the analogy of a car – tools and training is the vehicle that action rides in and the plan is steering the vehicle.

Let’s take a task like driving a nail into a board.   We must have some type of tool to drive the nail in and we must have some prior knowledge or training in order to be successful.  I know we can self teach,  but I also know it could be a painful lesson.  The most common tool for driving a nail is a hammer.  A hammer is not the most efficient method, the air powered nailer is.  I have also used a rock to drive a nail, again a potentially painful lesson.  I just listed three different tools that can be used to drive a nail.

The time that it takes to get to bountiful results is in direct proportion to the efficiency of the tool we select to use and our skill level with that tool.

If you want to be a carpenter.  Seek out the best training that you can find.  Get good tools that will be efficient.  Practice your new found skills with the new tools.  I am great with a saw and a utility knife, but that definitely doesn’t qualify me to be a surgeon.

So I guess what I am trying to say is -  do not underestimate the importance of the tools and training that you have when you are planning for success.

“We do not plan to fail, we fail to plan”.  The saying is true but I think that there is much more to it.  I think that sometimes I create a plan in haste and leave out some import aspects.  Some of my best plans have been developed over a day or two.  I will layout the framework of the plan and start filling in the who-what-when-where and then I will put it down for awhile.  I haven’t forgot about it, the details will come to me little by little.  I have noticed that if I write a plan in the morning and come back to it and reread it in the evening; I will have a fresh perspective.  Our body and mind go through cycles.  I am the most logical in the morning and the most creative in the afternoon.  I have the most energy physically in the evening and I am slow to start in the morning.  I know my cycles and will maximize these cycles for bountiful results.  When I work on things through these different cycles, I can make sure that I have tapped into the logical and the creative.

If I am struggling to build a bountiful plan I will use some if not all of the following to assist in the creative process.

• Put it down and come back to it 36 hours later.  My subconscious will still work on it, but it will be a different time of the day.
• Sometimes I use family, a friend or a teammate as a sounding board for my ideas.  Sometimes just saying it out loud generates additional thoughts.
• Mind-mapping is a good technique for getting your thoughts down on paper.  Our mind is full of associations to various points  in time and personal experiences.  Once you establish the main theme for the map – relax your mind and allow it to freely associate.  write down the information as your brain sees it.  Do not try to put it in a list form.  I find this helps me to look at all aspects of a task.

I am sure that you have your own tools that you use to generate ideas and unlock great inspirations in your own mind.  Don’t forget to consider the critical issues and the roadblocks that can pop up.

What do you do to plan for success?  I would love to hear from you.  Click on “comments” above or email me at: john@bountifulresults.com

Almost everyday I have a to-do list that has 20 plus tasks on it.  Some are critical and some are things that it would be nice to get to this week. As part of my personal development, I have seen just as many methods of dealing with the list.  This is one of those things that you have to try several of them and decide for yourself which one is best for your unique personality.

I have discovered a principle that has made managing the to-do list bountiful.  I must decide what is the “One Thing” for the day that will produce the most results.   It may not be the first thing that I do, but it often pushes me through the other tasks so I can get to the One Thing.  When that particular task is done, I try to pick a new One Thing as soon as possible.

The 5th component of getting bountiful results is Motivation and Accountability.  I incorporate this into the One Thing by declaring to someone else – “This is my One Thing for today”.  I have now signed my name to this task and hung my credibility on it.  If I go around saying that I am going to do something but fail to follow through, my credibility will be damaged.

My criteria for it becoming a “One Thing” item is:

• Am I the best person to do this at this time?
• Will it impact others if I do not get it done today?
• Will completing this task or project head off future problems or crisis?
• Is there a monetary loss or gain associated to this task?

Answering these questions will narrow down the list to a critical few and based on the strength of our response to each question; we will be able to set a One, Two, and Three.  Remember, after one is done, two should become our new number One.

I have taken this process a step further. I am asking, “What is my One Thing for the week?”   “What is my One Thing for the Month?”

My One Thing today was visiting a long time friend.  What is your One Thing going to be tomorrow?

Most great accomplishments start out as a vision of what could be.  A plan for success is then created.  Short and long term goals are put to paper.  Now, it is time to act on the vision and turn it into a reality.  Do you really believe it is possible?  If not, don’t go any further with your plan.  We must act boldly on our plan.  We must have confidence in ourselves and those that we have chosen to be part of the plan.  We must be able to visualize ourselves being successful.

So how do we act boldly?  There are 3 key steps:

• Proclaim your intention to be successful.  Share your vision with others.
• Get started as soon as possible and overachieve early on.
• When you hit your first obstacle – adjust and keep going.

Acting on your plan is at the heart of achieving; any shortcuts or feeble efforts will show up in your results.  I am reminded of some of the basics of planting vegetables.  If we skip the breaking up of the soil part or in haste toss the seed on top of the ground,  some plants will manage to grow, but it will be significantly less than what is possible.

I wish everyone bountiful results, but more important, I wish upon everyone the heart to act boldly on their dreams.

We are responsible for our own actions.  We are responsible for our own shortfalls.  I enjoy taking credit for my success.  I also feel the need to take credit for my failures.  I know I need other people to participate in some of my activities, but if I am the accountable for the results, I am still the one that must take responsibility for what was done under my watch.

If I set a goal to lose 20 lbs.  I cannot blame my wife’s good cooking for me only losing 5 lbs.  I chose to consume the quantity that I did.  I decided to stop exercising. I did not change my method of weight loss when I realized I was not on pace.

I am the only person that can make me successful.  Others most definitely play a part.

Would you agree that the following statement should be removed from our vocabulary.  “I gave Joe a chance to step up and prove himself.  I lost my promotion because he let me down.”  The first thing I see, there was already some uncertainty in Joe’s ability to do the task.  Two,  I cannot blame Joe for what I allowed.  I lost my own opportunity.  To get bountiful results I must include in the plan a series of progress updates from Joe and ample time prior to the deadline for any corrections or adjustments that need to be made. You cannot blame the fox for getting in the hen house if you left the door open.  He is just being a fox.

I try harder to succeed when I realize that I am accountable for my success and the overall end results.

Try this accountability exercise – Make a list of the things that you have accomplished before you do it. Sign the bottom of it and give it to your boss, spouse or friend.  This is the same as signing a check – you now own the accountability of those items.  You can start out safe, but to get to bountiful, you will want to make the list challenging.

Success and Failure are not opposites. On quite a few occasions, I have experienced failures(of a plan) on the way to success.  We all are so unique in so many ways – our personalities, our past experiences, our body types and the list continues.  There is not a single plan that will work for everyone.  Honestly, each of us needs our own customized plan because we are so unique.

In my opinion, failure is not trying to achieve our dreams and goals.  Failure is setting goals and quitting after the first or second plan doesn’t work.

Thomas Edison created over 3,000 variations of the incandescent light bulb before he came up with one that would burn for 13 hours and was safe to use. Those were not 3,000 failures – they were just ways not to make the light bulb.

When we are driving a car,  we do not steer by looking at the yellow lines beside us or directly in front .  We are aiming high by looking out ahead of us. We should do the same with achieving success. Aim High!  Our first plan may fail, that is when we utilize the 5th and 6th components of Bountiful Results, look to our motivation and adjust the plan for another try.

The path to bountiful results is lined with ways that are not right for our unique circumstance.  We often do not know that until we try.

Success will come to those who persevere. Aim for the stars and if you fall short you can still land on the moon.

We live in a very high tech world. We have software for everything.  I cannot remember most of the phone numbers that I need because they are electronically stored in a speed dial. When was the last time that you multiplied 2 or 3 digit numbers without a calculator?  Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of technology.  I am using it right now.

What technology should not replace is:

• Quality family time
• Decision making
• Face to face communication
• Problem solving

Bountiful results for the family starts with more open communication – face to face.  Our body language is more than 60% of our communication.  The expression on our face, the shifting of the eyes and even the way we have our body positioned says much about the message we are presenting.  I can not see that in an e-mail, a note on the counter or even a phone call.  We need to carve out time away from technology to listen to our significant other’s needs and thoughts.  We need to be face to face with our children and seek to understand what is going on in their life.  Remember,  they will be saying more with their body than their words.  Wikipedia has some great information on Body Language.

It is a great idea to collect information using technology.  There is a lot of software that will organize the data into a nice package or presentation. When it is time to make a decision based on the information, it is best to listen to that inner voice or pay attention to that feeling in your gut.  These are reactions caused by past experiences.  They deserve as much weight in the decision making as the data does.  I personally have gone against the collected data when I made a decision because I wasn’t confident about the accuracy of the data collection.  We need listen to our heart and our mind will follow.

Problem solving has been enhanced by technology, but should never replace the super computer that we all have been blessed with; our brain.  Isn’t it amazing how all of our past experiences are kept for reference?  All it takes is something similar to recall an event from 20 years ago.  Again, collect the information and then run it through your body.  Is your mind recalling any relevant information? How does your gut feel about it?  Is your heart convinced that it is right?

If the power goes out and the cell phone battery dies, you are left with what mankind has used for thousands of years – the bountiful results within yourself.  Make sure that you keep them sharp

Most experts agree that the X factor for being successful in your personal development is a positive attitude. It is not who you know. It is not the school that you graduated from or the book that you just read.  A positive attitude will enhance your education. It will help motivate your efforts and make achieving bountiful results possible.

We cannot be positive and negative at the same time.  They are polar opposites.  We can bounce back and forth between the two, but they cannot occupy the same space at the same time.  It is also true that both positive and negative attitudes will attract more of the same.  When I am in a good mood and full of positive thoughts, I often see other things around me in a positive light.  A positive attitude is often contagious – the airborne type. Try walking around with a smile on your face and compliment those you come in contact with. You will soon infect someone else with your positive energy.  Sure, there are a few out there that have built up an immunity to the basic strain of positive attitude.  They need a super dose of positive energy to break through the armor.  First you soften them up with a joke or two and then you perform an act of kindness. Don’t let them know that you are doing it ahead of time, they might foil your plan by accusing you of having an ulterior motive or something.

It is not easy to maintain a positive attitude without practice or exercise.  Here are a few of my favorite positive attitude exercises:

• Notice something positive in someone else and point it out.
• Every time someone asks you how you are doing – say “I am doing Great! or I am Fantastic”. Say it enough times and you will be.
• Make a list of things that you are thankful for.
• Read an inspiring book or article.

Thanksgiving is almost here.  I am going to make a list of 20 things that I am thankful for.  CAN YOU?