A task we fail to do this moment may be left undone forever. There is no time like now to complete projects vital to our progress and development.
Task lists can be powerful to enhance effectiveness. When used incorrectly, however, they become a convenient excuse to leave what should be done now for a future date, which may never come.
Common ideas are prolific, while truly outstanding ideas may come only once in a lifetime. We can utilize specific techniques to empower the energy of the moment to give each idea an opportunity to flower into a spectacular proposal. Daily activities generate never-ending routines which hinder magical moments of profound inspiration.
One idea brilliantly developed can make us tremendously successful. To obtain one brilliant idea it is desirable to generate many ideas, one of which can make a positive impact on our lives.
An excellent way to concentrate on the most important task is to utilize the method Ivy Lee proposed to Charles Schwab, the owner of Bethlehem Steel at the beginning of the 20th Century. Schwab attributed this single idea to their outstanding success. Schwab’s desire to increase productivity led him to work with Ivy Lee, who gave him the following technique. Lee asked Schwab to write down the most important tasks he needed to accomplish the following day. After composing the list, Lee instructed Schwab to prioritize the list by placing the #1 beside the most important task, the #2 beside the second task and so forth.
Lee instructed Schwab to put the paper in his pocket until the following day. He told him to commence the following morning with #1 and to work only on that task until it was finished, unless something completely hindered its completion. Schwab expressed concern about the consequences of leaving all other tasks undone for sake of working on one single objective. Lee emphasized the importance of concentrating first on the single most important task of the day. This, he explained, was the way to be more effective. Achieving a substantial number of activities which are not crucial is not nearly as important as accomplishing a critical few objectives.
After experiencing the profound effects of enhanced productivity the idea created, purportedly Schwab paid Lee $25,000 for the idea, which at the beginning of the 20th Century was an extraordinary amount of money!
It is not the number of tasks we achieve in a day which is most important, rather the importance of the tasks we achieve. Utilizing Ivy Lee’s method daily assures we accomplish the most critical objectives which lead us to the destiny we desire. no time like now.
∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 40
Tantalizing temptations tease and toy with our emotions every day on this incredible journey we call life. Our capacity to manage and control our reaction to temptations defines our success.
The secret of achieving success does not depend on the number of hours we work, rather our effectiveness while we work. It’s not the amount, rather the quality which counts. Unfortunately, many relate instead only the number of hours worked as a measure of productivity.
Imagine a space designed to:
We can utilize the weekend closest to each full moon for a retreat which is replete with energy and enthusiasm to achieve what others only dream about. We can find a place full of magic and wonder – a park, a mountain, a beach or, simply someplace convenient to invest time in ourselves and in our future. With this simple action, we become masters of our fate, never leaving our lives to wander aimlessly with the wind of time.
The Master Mind Moon Meeting can be of any duration and held at any place or time. I suggest the weekend around the full moon because it is easy to remember. All we need do is look to the sky to see when the time is coming. Establishing the time and place for a Master Mind Moon Meeting once per month helps create focus and continuity and does not impose on the “hustle and bustle” of our lives.
Life can be compared to many different competitive games including soccer, football, boxing, basketball and baseball. While there are many similarities, the main difference is that instead of playing against another team or individual, we are in a constant battle with ourselves and with our emotions. In competition, as well as in life, our ability to control our thoughts and our actions determines our success.
Some of us live a life replete with joy and others with anguish. Life presents different challenges to all and there are no two lives which are exactly the same. Similarly, no two games in a season are exactly alike. During this incredible journey we call life, as in competitive sport, it’s not the circumstances which arise, rather our response to them which makes the difference.
Coaches and motivational speakers promote positive thinking as the Holy Grail to success and happiness. While being a fundamental element, it’s not enough to reach our objectives. In addition to positive thinking, we must be in shape, and be prepared.
Soccer and life are better played by doing little things correctly on a consistent basis. For example, we can eat right, exercise, read, build and grow. These are all habits which, when done consistently, lead to long term success.
Traveling through this marvelous journey we call life, we constantly seek happiness, success and meaning to affirm our existence on this planet.
If we wait for everything to be beautiful, bright and bountiful during our adventure, we will likely be disillusioned with our destiny. If we accept unfortunate events as a given, we can consider our reactions, responses and reflections rather than the significance of the events themselves.
Life is the sum of all experiences. Any moment, be it “good” or “bad” can be a magical moment. What matters most is our perspective of each situation and what we learn from it. A friend told me recently, “The times when I was in the greatest pain, tribulation, and fear… those were the times I learned the most, changed the most, and became more of who I am.”
Experience and our thought process determine our degree of confidence. Thought drives personal power as well as our ability to achieve goals and objectives. Throughout the ages, men and women have contemplated ways to strengthen our personal power through thought.
Plato said:
When we release the reins of thought, our emotions take control of our course. We then become passengers instead of directors of our destiny. To take control of our direction, we can change the way we think about the circumstances which constantly cross our path. If we believe occurrences to be obstacles which block our path, we will mire in the muck and mud. If, on the other hand, we believe events to be a natural part of being, we will find elegant solutions to the challenges which cross our path.
the heat of the moment which you later regretted?
Reacting: Use of one dominant area of thought which is driven by impulse and designed to protect us from danger.
To be more efficient and effective in our lives it is imperative we become aware of blind spots and how they affect our thought process. By taking time to Reflect deeply and Relate with others in search of solutions, we can discover our blind spots and diminish their devastating effect while determining our destiny and direction.
We all think about the nature of time. The Latin phrase Carpe Diem (seize the day) has become part of our vocabulary. The essence of time took on particular significance recently when I decided to wait until the following day to take a photo of a spectacular flower.
Deception upon waking and having found