I wonder how many bajillion dollars are spent each year by professionals of all kinds for “CE” (continuing education) or “Business Building Seminars” or Coaching or Accountability Partners or Motivational tapes (CDs)?
Part Deux of the question: “How many of the professionals who spend this time, money, energy on these programs actually implement (put to good use) the information they Hear/learn?
At the end of a seminar, most folks emerge “FULL” of great ideas and lists and lists of ways they can jump-start or improve their business. Excitement is high for a few weeks . . . and then they wake up one morning and fall off the wagon . . . the books and tapes find a new home in purgatory along with all of the other books and tapes – Put out to pasture – on the book shelf which might merit being named the “Trophy shelf” so that other “colleagues” can see them and OOOO and AHHHH about how much education they’ve had.
Sound familiar?
OK!
So . . . My wife were talking about Doctors and medicine this morning and the simple truth that many people who become ill go to a doctor who diagnoses their problem and prescribes a very specific dose of medication for a defined period of time with instructions as to how to get the maximum effect of the cure.
“Take 2 pills each day – 1 in the morning AFTER Breakfast and 1 in the evening AFTER supper – and do this for 10 days”
Person feels awfully sick at the time and agrees to the “program”. She RUNS to the pharmacy where the Pharmacist “counsels” her by reminding her to:
“Take 2 pills each day – 1 in the morning AFTER Breakfast and 1 in the evening AFTER supper – and do this for 10 days.”
2 days later, the patient is feeling much better and fails to take the morning pill because she is late for work. She figures missing 1 pill wouldn’t be such a bad thing because she IS feeling better.
Her behavior doesn’t improve the following few days, and by Day 5, she’s not taking the pills at ALL . . . 4 days later . . . She s now feeling bad again . . . goes to the doctor again, and he scratches his head and says: “Strange that prescription didn’t work – You still have strep . . . Let’s try a different, more potent antibiotic.”
The cycle continues . . .
Here’s my message. A person can attend every training session available and buy and read (or listen to) every book and tape on the planet and NONE of it will result in an enhanced level of performance in Business and life until that person understands the simple notion that If you don’t take your medicine as prescribed, it won’t work.
The “medicine” is nothing other than having the discipline to do what WORKS. Take care of your body and focus your business efforts on the most IMPORTANT activities – the vital few activities – the 20% activities – the GREEN (Dollar Producing) activities like:
DIRECT human interaction with LOTS of people EVERY day.
Building a SOLID, well categorized database that works for YOU and provides you the leverage to save you time and money.
NETWORK with other professionals in your field.
Mentor – Seek one (or more) for yourself and BE one for others.
TIME BLOCK your days such that you’ve carved out time for the most important work when your brain is at its optimal clarity.
KNOW your azimuth – Where you are heading. With a clear end in mind, the specific path is less important than the discipline of keeping your bearing – your sight on the goal.
Have patience with yourself and let things unfold. Be an Architect as you design your success.
Is this all cliche?
I don’t think so.
Seth Godin wrote a blog post today entitled “Hire an Architect” in which he says:
“I’m talking about intentionally building a structure and a strategy and a position, not focusing your energy on the mechanics, because mechanics alone are insufficient. Just as you can’t build a class A office building with nothing but a skilled carpenter, you can’t build a business for the ages that merely puts widgets into boxes.”
Pretty nice validation for our “Organic growth” strategy for the development of Pareto Realty – The Vital Few”
I’m just sayin’
Best,
b