First, Be Determined
Passion and perseverance are always needed in order to complete worthwhile goals. Emphasis on the “perseverance.” It has been said that we often overestimate what we can do in one year, and underestimate what can be done in ten. So get to plodding along, faithfully!
Establish goals, commit to lead measures that make them achievable, eliminate distractions, carve out time to focus and gain traction, and if you’re tired… do it tired.
Second, Be Flexible
With all the previous determination established, your goals may genuinely need to be changed. For example, something might be discovered that makes your previous goal obsolete, and so you should redirect focus in order to achieve better goals. As has been said, work smarter, not harder. You must balance grit with flexibility and intentionality.
Immediate Example from My Life
My grand vision for this chapter of life included establishing many different long term projects that would act as foundations to build off of for the future. They filled my time, but I was committed! So long as I could maintain the scope, I would put in the work.
This year a more necessary goal has appeared outside of my initially perceived timeline. I have the immense project of launching a church! The value of this project outweighs other things that I love, and so I must redirect my focus and redistribute my time.
This is why T+P has gone back to the twice-a-month model, and I’ll even be flexible with that, if need be. The goal is to still utilize this publication to equip you for further excellence through continuous improvement. You’ll just have more time in-between each issue to put tools and concepts into practice 😉
Stay Mission Minded 🏔️
Be Long-Term Minded — What is the overriding mission that you are pursuing?
Mission is going to be some combination of your strengths, instincts, opportunities, and the needs you’re trying to fill.
Instinct = What you are drawn toward.
When is the last time you did something and time flew by? Maybe you didn’t even want to stop to eat or go to the bathroom, because you were THAT “locked in.”
Establish Strategic Short-Term Goals — What 2-3 things are you going to do that build toward your Long-Term Mission?
Ideally, choose things that create “flywheels” for achieving future goals.
Be Lead-Measure Minded — Focus on doing tangible things that establish discipline and lead to the results you are looking for.
For more encouragement, head HERE.
Live by the Focus Funnel — Eliminate, Automate, Delegate. Continuous improvement through reduction and reinvention.
For those who are not familiar with the subject, check it out HERE.
Critically Assess Yourself — You need to be assured that if your goals are not being achieved, it certainly isn’t for lack of effort. You want to assess yourself and your tactics so you are assured that if you had enough time the only possible reality is that you would achieve your goals.
When to Pivot 🔄
Greater Opportunity + Same Mission — Something else becomes the clear “next step” in pursuing your mission.
Lack of Grit is Clearly Not the Problem — You’ve created lead measures, stayed disciplined, worked while tired, mastered circumstances; but results are not taking, and you’ve done you’re best to get outside perspective that shows you should switch things up.
Forced Circumstances — You don’t have complete control over your life. Stay humble, be flexible, and move forward when needed. Just make sure you’re not using PERCEIVED forced circumstances to be an excuse for lack of grit.
Lean Startup Mentality — If there is no growth and you’re losing sight of your goals, then pivot. If you’re making progress and learning, then persevere.
Build Simple → Measure → Learn → Persevere OR Pivot
Established organizations are stricter because they have a high quality output that they can go “all in” on. Startups can’t be strict because they haven’t proven that what they are pursuing is the high quality output they think it is… hence why flexibility is needed to chase the best goal.
🌟 TOP PICKS
Grit - The primary factor that enables true achievers.
Indistractable - What it takes to power through and pursue your goals.
The Lean Startup - How startups are differentiated from established companies.
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In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty - Proverbs 14:23
