Successful people measure and track their progress
Successful people are not only working in their job/business, they are also working on it. They step back and assess their progress regularly. They track themselves against their goals and clearly know what needs to be done to excel and accelerate.
You can’t control what you don’t properly measure. If you track the wrong things you’ll be completely blind to potential opportunities as they appear over the horizon. Imagine if, while running a small business, you made it a point to keep track of how many pencils and paperclips you used. Would that make any sense? No! Because pencils and paperclips are not a measure of what’s important for a business. Pencils and paperclips have no bearing on income, customer satisfaction, market growth, etc.
The proper approach is to figure out what your number one goal is and then track the things that directly relate to achieving that goal. I recommend that you take some time right now to identify your number one goal, identify the most important things for you to keep track of, and then begin tracking them immediately. On a weekly basis, plug the numbers into a spreadsheet and use the data to create weekly or monthly trend graphs so you can visualize your progress. Then fine-tune your actions to get those trends to grow in your favor.
via 12 Things Successful People Do Differently.
Focus on being productive, not busy
In "The 4-Hour Workweek", Tim Ferris says, “Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference. Being busy is often a form of mental laziness – lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.” In other words, “work smarter, not harder.”
Take a quick look around. The "busy" outnumber the "productive".
Busy people are rushing all over the place, and running late half of the time. They’re heading to work, conferences, meetings, social engagements, etc. They barely have enough free time for family get-togethers and they rarely get enough sleep.
Their busy schedule gives them an elevated sense of importance. But it’s all an illusion. They’re like hamsters running on a wheel.
The solution: Slow down. Breathe. Review your commitments and goals. Put first things first. Do one thing at a time. Start now. Take a short break in two hours. Repeat.
And always remember, results are more important than the time it takes to achieve them.
via 12 Things Successful People Do Differently.
5 Ways You Sabotage Your Own Career Without Realizing It
- Believing that someone else is the problem.
- Putting yourself ahead of your company.
The best way to get ahead is to put the needs of your company first, and for the simple reason that doing your job well and going above and beyond the call of duty will come back to you eventually. That's just the way it works. Nobody's going to go out on a limb and shower you with raises and promotions until you prove yourself capable, which means getting results ... for the company. - Thinking you know better instead of listening and learning.
Those who act as if they know it all and have overinflated opinions of themselves are usually overcompensating for deep feelings of inferiority and insecurity. And everyone knows it but them. So, when you act that way instead of listening and learning, it's like holding up a giant sign that says, "I act big but I really feel small." - Feeling entitled to something.
You're not entitled to anything except to to work your tail off and maybe someday make something of yourself. - There's some magic secret to getting ahead.
Becoming successful in the real world requires every bit of whatever brains God gave you, the wisdom you learned along the way, and pretty much all your energy and focus. By definition, every brain cycle and moment you spend thinking there's a better way - a magic way - works against you by detracting from what it really takes to succeed: brains, hard work, and learning from experience.
Self-limiting or self-destructive behavior is a self-perpetuating infinite loop. Here's how it works:
- Things don't go your way, so you get angry and blame others.
- But, deep down, on some level, you know it's your own fault.
- So you feel guilty and ashamed and beat yourself up.
- That lowers your self-confidence and increases your self-doubt.
- Your work performance suffers as a result.
Round and round it goes, and there you have it: self-perpetuating career self-sabotage.
The first step to solving any problem is recognizing there is one, but changing behavior you've spent a lifetime developing takes a lot of work.
Photo by RG
via Are You Sabotaging Your Own Career? Probably - CBS News.
How to Prioritize in 4 Simple Steps
1. Organize your calendar for anything that's important but not urgent.
Become consistent with your actions, building rituals that you do on a regular basis.
2. Set aside to reflect upon the day.
Take 15 to 20 minutes at the end of the day to outline the most important tasks to get done the following day. You'll not only prioritize while it's fresh on your mind, you'll recognize the sense of importance when you tackle it first thing in the morning.
3. Do the most important thing on your list first when you get to work in the morning
While it's easy to get lured into the fast pace of e-mail or social media, try keeping email closed and your cell phone on silent. The more focused you are, the more you'll get accomplished. When you're done, take a break. (It's just as important to your productivity as any other action you take!)
4. Take breaks
Take at least one scheduled break in the morning, one in the afternoon, and leave your desk for lunch. These are each important opportunities to renew yourself so that your energy doesn't run down as the day wears on. They're also opportunities to briefly take stock of your progress and get back on track.
Ask yourself a few questions to make sure you are prioritizing your actions:
Did I accomplish what I set to get done since the last break and if not, why not?
What do I want to accomplish between now and my next break, and what do I have to say "no" to, in order to make that possible?
via How to Prioritize in Four Simple Steps | Psychology Today.
Questions to help you review your goals and accomplishments & look ahead
What have you actually finished, completed, and accomplished?
You are making lists of the things you want to accomplish and HAVE accomplished, right? No? Then start now!
Review your accomplishments in a month, 6 months, and year:
- What was your biggest triumph?
- What was the smartest decision you made?
- What one word best sums up and describes your experience?
- What was the greatest lesson you learned?
- What was the most loving service you performed?
- What is your biggest piece of unfinished business?
- What are you most happy about completing?
- Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life?
- What was the biggest risk you took?
- What was the biggest surprise?
- What important relationship improved the most?
- What compliment would you like to have received?
- What compliment would you like to have given?
- What else do you need to do or say to be complete this cycle (these past 30 day, 6 months, or year)?
Now that you've looked back, start to think ahead:
- What would you like to be your biggest triumph in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What is the major effort you are planning to improve your financial results in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What would you be most happy about completing in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What major indulgence are you willing to experience in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What would you most like to change about yourself in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What are you looking forward to learning in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What do you think your biggest risk will be in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What about your work are you most committed to changing and improving in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What is one as yet undeveloped talent you are willing to explore in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
- What brings you the most joy and how are you going to do or have more of that in 2012?
- Who or what, other than yourself, are you most committed to loving and serving in 2012?
- What one word would you like to have as your theme in the next 30 days/6 months/1 year?
Photo by RG
via Questions for completing and beginning the year | GTD Times.
6 Ways To Tell If Your Small Business is Social Media-Ready
Just because you keep hearing about social media doesn’t mean you’re ready to jump in. Not every company is suited to engage in social media and even those that are may not necessarily be ready to do so.
Are you?
Here are some questions to help you determine whether your small business is social media-ready or if you still have some work to do before sending out that first company tweet.
1. Do you have a clear reason for being in social media?
One of the biggest business mistakes you can make is to do something just because you think you’re supposed to. And by now, you’ve probably heard a lot about social media and the positive effect it’s had on other people’s businesses. But that doesn’t mean you should give it a shot. Not necessarily. Ask yourself:
- What are you hoping to get from your participation?
- What business goals will you be able to achieve through social media?
- How will social media aid lead generation?
If you don’t know, then you should spend time figuring it out, not entering the space. Because if increased engagement in social media isn’t going to help your business, then it’s a waste of your time. And if you don’t know what your end goal is, you won’t know if you’re any closer to reaching it.
2. Do you know which social media sites are for you?
You know what you’re looking to get from social media and still think it’s a great fit. Fantastic. But what does that mean in terms of where you should be spending your time? What social media sites are best for your specific purpose? Once you know what your goal is for your participation, identify the best social network for your business, the site that is most geared toward helping you accomplish your goals. You may also want to check your analytics to see which social media sites are already sending you traffic, if you’re not sure. Because while social media is great, not every site is going to speak to your audience, not even the hottest site of the moment. You want to hone in on the site(s) that will.
3. Do you have the resources to continue the investment?
Now you know “why”, you know “where” and it’s time to ask yourself “how long”. How long are you willing to commit resources to being a part of social media? Can you pay someone to blog, tweet and Facebook for you? If not, can you commit to doing it yourself on top of all your other activities? If you’re not and you’re thinking this is something you can do for a few weeks before backing out of it, stop now. Social media is an ongoing process. If you’re not going to stick with it, don’t waste time starting it.
4. Have you carved out a social pipeline?
What are you going to do with the information gleaned from social media? If someone approaches you about a customer service issue or makes a recommendation for a new product or feature, do you have a process for how you’ll quickly get that information to the right person on your team so it can be used? Before you enter social media, create that workflow or pipeline for how you’ll disseminate social media information internally. It will help ensure that you’re getting the most value possible from your social media investment.
5. Is there a social media plan on record?
Your social media policy is an internal document that helps a business to navigate the social media waters. It breaks down rules for engagement, how to handle common occurrences, what you’ll do when negative mentions appear, how to start conversations, how to use the different networks, etc.
6. Can you measure it?
Social media is a tool, it’s not a destination. You want to measure your use of social media just like you would measure anything else you’re doing as part of your marketing efforts. Based on your initial goal for social media the metrics you use to judge success may differ from others, and that’s okay. You may choose to track Facebook Likes, ReTweets, change in sentiment, number of mentions, engagement, etc. What’s important is that you’ve decided which metrics are important to your business and that you’re using social media tools to help measure them.
Photo by RG
via 6 Ways To Tell If You’re Social Media-Ready.
Are you fairly paid? What does fair pay mean to you?
50% of employees consider themselves underpaid for the work that they do. But what do they mean by ‘underpaid'? Understanding the seven different ways of deciding what a fair pay rate is can help you understand how your boss thinks, and give you an edge when negotiating your salary.
Equality. Many people believe that ‘fair' means ‘the same', or ‘roughly the same'. Experiments show that people are less satisfied with work when they find out they are less well paid than others, but not more satisfied when they find out they are paid more. So, the differences between what people get paid should not be too great.
Need. Another idea of a ‘fair' pay rate is the ideal that everyone deserves to get paid enough to live comfortably. Some people need more money to live comfortably than others (e.g. those with large families, or those that live in more expensive cities).
Qualifications and experience. People often believe that their investment in educational qualifications, years of experience on the job, or loyalty to a particular company deserve recognition in the form of higher wages.
Skill and dedication. More experienced people do not always perform better. Many believe that highly skilled and harder working people, and those who endure more unpleasant or dangerous conditions, should be paid more.
Production and economic value added. Business owners often argue that employees who produce more value for the business should be paid more. If the business owner consistently pays people more than the value they add, she will go out of business and then no-one will have a job at all.
Social value. Many employees produce social value (or harm) that is not captured by the economic value of what they produce. (Social value is an impact on people or society that is seen as important, but that people may be unable or unwilling to actually pay for.) People may see it as unfair that nurses should be paid less than investment bankers, for example.
Supply and demand. Economists have often argued that pay rates should be set by supply and demand (see here for an explanation of how this works). They cite evidence that the labour market behaves similarly to other markets and that the most economically and socially successful countries rely heavily on some sort of market system to set prices and wages.
Why do so many people believe they are underpaid?
With at least seven different ways of deciding what a ‘fair' pay rate really is, it's no wonder that most people can muster a reasonable argument that they're underpaid. Why do these arguments often fall on deaf ears?
If you want to discuss your pay with your manager, you need to frame the discussion in a way that resonates with the way she thinks about what fair pay means (not what fair pay means to you).
Broadly speaking, managers tend to think in terms of production, economic value added, and supply and demand when deciding what to pay people (especially in the private sector). Arguments about how expensive life is these days, your years of dedication to the company and so on don't tend to make much impression. Bearing this in mind, find out from your manager what you would need to do to achieve the position or salary that you want. There are no guarantees, of course, but if your manager can't give you a clear direction on this and a high salary is important to you, maybe you'd be better off working for someone who can.
Remember to take satisfaction in the social value of your work, your friendly relationships with colleagues, and your enjoyment of the work itself. The greatest value of your job may not be in your pay cheque.
Are you fairly paid? What does fair pay mean to you?
Photo by RG
via Getting Paid What You’re Worth | Psychology Today.
How to Apply “Honesty is the best Policy”
How you communicate your message will impact how it is received
Learning if, when, and how to let someone know what you are feeling and thinking is extremely important. How many times has each one of us walked away from a situation saying to ourselves "I wish I had said ...", or "I wished I hadn't said...?
Ifs
What is the intent of your communication? Is it to help someone get to know you better? Or to improve or change some dynamic in the relationship? Or, is it just to prove a point and make the other person feel bad, so you can feel better?
What are the possible consequences of speaking your truth? What are the possible consequences of not speaking it?
If you know that your motivations are going to enrich or improve the situation, and are willing to accept possible consequences, go for it.
When
Timing is everything. If situation is not dangerous, waiting until your thoughts and feelings about an emotionally charged topic are clear can be helpful. Often people reflexively respond out of habit, a sense of self righteousness, or because they have difficulty tolerating or sitting with feelings that make them uncomfortable.
Make sure that the person you want to talk to is emotionally available at that time - for example, talking to someone about a drinking problem while they are drunk, or sharing a personal anxiety or insecurity with someone who may be anxious at that moment themselves, will not get you the result you desire.
Since your goal is to improve the situation, make sure the person is in the right frame of mind to hear what you say.
How
The "hows" will be influenced by what information is being shared. Is it something personal that is difficult to talk about? Something embarrassing that you want kept private? Choose wisely whom you decide to tell or ask advice from, and possibly even state some of your concerns at the beginning.
Use "I" statements about your feelings, especially when it involves something someone might have done that has upset you. "You" statements set off a defensive reaction and can be experienced as an attack.
via Honesty Hangover | Psychology Today.
5 Work Habits I Need to Develop
I found this article at Psychology Today and realized I need to work on all 5:
Flex Your Hearing Muscle
Many times we find ourselves in one line email conversations. This year pick up the phone and talk instead. Not only would you shorten a day long email dialogue, you will flex you hearing muscle. Try it, the person on the other side of the phone wont bite.
I honestly can't remember when the last time I had a conversation INTEAD of generating a 50 thread email. I think o the 5 this will be my second hardest habit to develop. I don't like talking on the phone.
Give Your Eyes A Rest
During conference calls, many of us tend to multi-task and not pay attention to what is being said. By shutting off the monitor, you will not only focus better on whats being discussed but also give your eyes a break.
Guilty! Luckily, the amount of time I have to dedicate to conference calls is minimal, but by developing tis one habit, I can improve that experience
Become Enagaged in Meetings
When our minds wander during team meetings, we tend to check our emails or any other information on our mobile devices. By not having access to your devices during meetings, it will ensure that you are engaged and it will conserve your phones battery life.
Again, guilty. I sit back quietly and listen, and don't participate. If I have something to contribute, I tend to wait until later and offer it to other attendees rather than the group.
Take More Breaks
Outlook or any other calendar software automatically blocks time either in 30 or 60 minute chunks. Instead of being lazy and leaving the time at its default, why not change it to 20 or 45 min meetings. That way, you have time to spare to go for a walk or grab a coffee.
Oh soooo guilty. It's one of those things I inherently: take more breaks to stay engaged and more productive and yet every day I realize 9-10 have gone by without even a lunch break.
Socialize With Your Team
Instead of eating your food at your desk, try going out to lunch with a colleague or block a conference room and have lunch with some of your teammates. Not only will the time together let you get to know your team better, it will also allow you to decompress any stress thats going on during your day.
And this will be by far the hardest to work up as habit. It's not that I'm socially inept, (thought at times thats true as well!), I just don't care for socializing. But I do know this is critical to my development, and to keep from becoming stagnant in my thinking. It also helps easing tensions in the team.
10 Tips For Marketing
1. Get Focused Who are you speaking to? Provide content that communicates with your customers and prospects in a language they understand.
2. Create Goals for your Content What are you trying to achieve? When designing your content make sure it is not content for contents sake, but is assisting you in growing your business
3. Become a Publisher Blogs - email newsletters, and social media sites - don't miss any of the opportunities available to you for marketing
4. Solve Problems Everyone has problems and helping your customers and prospects solve them will take them from interested readers to raving fans. Write content that shows people how to fix their problems that are relevant to your industry and market.
5. Include Calls to Action Don’t forget to include calls to action with your content. It could be to subscribe, share or register for an eBook or whitepaper. Creating small calls to action will lead prospects towards the ultimate goal for any business and that is to put some money down or place an order.
6. Talk like a Human Corporate speak was invented by copy writers but a while back people started switching off. Being “Authentic” is the new black and being real is the “new marketing” that is a message that cuts through
7. Show What Works Case studies that “show” how your product is used are much more effective than “telling“. Create content that showcases how other customers are using your product and services to achieve success.
8. Have some Fun and enjoy what you do!
inspired by The 10 Commandments of Social Media Content Marketing | Jeffbullas's Blog.