When most people discuss success they say you need to work harder or work smarter or both. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a formula for success? Well there is.
Think before you do(working smarter). Do it well(work harder and better). And enjoy it while you’re doing it (enjoyment ensures motivation and conviction).
Do you think you can do better? How do you think the formula can be improved?
Since inception the tagline of this blog has been “Simple Tools For Your Success”. But recently I changed it to “The Mechanics of Success”.
When people think of mechanics people think of people who fix cars- I assure you this site isn’t switching it’s focus- we’re still getting you to success. There will still be tools. This is about the focus on fundamental and trying to turn success into a science.
New Years Day i.e. January 1st is a time for physical reflection- many people make resolutions to work on their weight etc. I mentioned that on labor day should be your time for career resolutions (see part 1 and Part 2). Today is the Jewish New Year- that’s the Jewish time for spiritual renewal. Even if you’re not Jewish you too should work on your own spiritual renewal. Dates are just random- start now.
Are you doing your best? Can you do better? Can you improve relationships? Do you enjoy everything you are doing?
Decide one thing you want to improve in your life and get started today.
Today can be the start of your New Year or spiritual growth and success.
Happy New Year.
When I was a kid we had a tradition of eating formal family meals for Saturday lunch in the dining room. My mother wanted to get the kids to help clear the table after a meal. Her solution, we play a game similar to 20 questions. A person goes to the kitchen with something from the table (a water pitcher for example) and puts it away (or on the counter at least). Before the person returned the people at the table would pick a secret word. When the person returned, he would pick a person to give him a clue or ask someone a question. We would keep going around the table until he (or she) correctly guessed the secret word. This would continue until we cleared the table.
This isn’t the most efficient way to clear a table of course. It took a while to clear of the table while playing but we weren’t really cleaning the table we were having fun playing the game. Often we played even after the table was all clear. This is one of the lasting memories of fun from my childhood.
So how do you get your kids to help? Make it fun. Make it a game.
Now when I want to get my kids to help clear the table (when there is time) and have some fun we also play this game. It works well when they have friends over also.
So how did the game become known as “The Toilet Paper Game”? Let’s just say once the secret word was “toilet paper” and lots of laughs ensued.
It’s appropriate to post this today on my mother’s birthday as she’s always been creative getting us kids to be more productive and having fun. Happy Birthday Mom!
Recently this blog was featured on Lifehack’s article Readers Recommend: 15 More Productivity Blogs You Probably Never Heard Of. Although it was nice to be recognized, next time I would rather it be for “15 Best Productivity Blogs You’ve Probably Heard Of”.
Usually when you read a website you passively take in the lessons and hopefully some of it sticks. Today we will not just sit back and read about how building a machine can help you, we will experience it in action. I’ve written about how Skellie used her machine to launch a new blog to 1000 subscribers. Today I want to take my humble but awesome machine of subscribers (you can get the blog delivered to you) and repeat site visitors and use it to succeed. If you like this site please spread the word. Tell your friends (you want them to succeed), your family (because you love them) and to your coworkers (they help you succeed).
Success Making Machine– A life management system that takes you beyond productivity and tricks to build a machine to help you succeed.
Remember the site slogan, “Never Work a Day in Your Life, Have Your Day Work For You.” You all are now part of my machine.
I will recognize the most innovative people– just let me know how you helped spread the word.
The additional lesson here is don’t be afraid to ask for favors. I’ll let you know how this experiment goes.
This morning my five year old was trying to get the tap water to come out warm. He kept fiddling with the hot valve to try to get it just right. This was a time consuming process. A simpler solution of course is to use the cold valve (which I explained to him).
Often when we are solving a problem we concentrate exclusively on one tactic- missing a parallel tactic. Here’s three examples where looking at alternative solutions can speed up success:
Most people think about exercise when it comes time to stay fit. How about just eating less, a little less at a time.
There are two ways to balance your out of wach budget: spend less and make more. Most people only look to one or the other- they should use both.
There are two ways to achieve career advancement: promotions within or moving to a new company. Most people pick one tactic or the other. Some people always look to move on. “They just don’t appreciate me here” they say. But the pattern repeats itself at each job they take. They should consider trying to make their current company appreciate them and realize what their contribution is. Sometimes just asking for a promotion is enough to get the ball rolling. Try to get concrete steps on what the criteria for the promotion is.
Then there are others who just stay at a company for a long time waiting for their promotion. They have been promised a promotion or were told “soon’ but the promotion never comes. This may be because the company doesn’t adequately value your contribution and perhaps never will. It may be time to look externally. Start feeling around for a new job.
In any task your doing, think about other approaches. That may give you an easier way to acheive your goal.
What are your challenges?
I recently wrote about a tale “David in Diamondonia” I heard when I was a child that still resonates with me years later. There are numerous lessons that can be learned from this simple story.
Here’s a few and then I’ll tell you about the one I thought of now decades later- that’s even more powerful than all of these.
But the lesson I recently thought of is that Diamonds (and money) are just our candle. Diamonds don’t do anything- they don’t make people happy, healthy or successful. Think about it- a diamond is just a glittery rock. Similarly dollars are just paper. Diamondonians aren’t stupider than us, we just have different value systems so we chase diamonds instead of candles. Because our world places such a high value on “diamonds”(material objects) we constantly strive for diamonds when we may be missing something more valuable. Certainly money or candles have value and are needed but at the end of the day they are only there to get you to your goal- they aren’t a goal.
The best way to expand habits is to build on an existing habit and make it part of the habit.
Here’s my recent use of this technique: I always forget to water the lawn (and when I remember I sometimes forget to turn it off) as a result the grass in the little patch in front of my house turned brown. On the other hand each morning I go running- it’s a habit that I instilled by having my alarm going on early. So now I just turn on the sprinkler (a hose with a plastic oscillating extension) when I start my run. When I take my son out to wait for the bus an hour later he or I turn it off (it’s either that or walking through a shower- so we’re forced to do it).
What habit are you building?
Corporate Values are taught by actions of leadership and stories that are passed down and around the company. Think of the pirate flag that flew over the Macintosh building when the software was being written. Isn’t that a precursor to “Think different“? Same with the “Don’t Be Evil” slogan that google used to inspire it in it’s fight against Microsoft. But how are family values taught? The same way, through stories. Because kids love stories It’s actually easier to teach family values and lessons through stories than teaching corporate values.
Where can you find appropriate stories?
The main advantage of making up your own story is that it can be tailored to the exact scenario you want. Kids are very forgiving so you can make up your own story it doesn’t have to be perfect. Make it interesting by throwing in facts that your kids can relate to such as the age of the characters being the same as your kids or the place that the story takes place is one that your kids are familiar with.
After the story ask your kids some questions to lead them to realize what the lesson was. Have them generate more lessons. Ask them what they would have done.
photo credit: pingnews.com
In a recent article Minimize Transactions Costs for a Healthy Marriage in The New York Times Daniel Hamermesh points out that have a system even your marriage can improve. Of course that’s true. If you put time wasting steps (where’s my pills?) on autopilot you can accomplish so much more. Argue less and make sure you take the right pills.
