Are You In The 3% or 97%?

Our company just had the most amazing leadership call. Sometimes I think we tend to forget why we’re doing what we’re doing. 

If you don’t know  what your “WHY” is, then how are you going to know why you’re doing that thing you do.  I think we sometimes get caught up in being active, but we do not know why we’re doing the action, therefore, it’s  more like being busy than being action oriented.

 
Right before the leadership call, I had read an article by Jay Kubassek talking about showing up to his office and noticing a sign on the neighbor’s door about being shut down due to massive back rent not being paid. Now I would venture to say this business, at one time, was busy, but for some unknown reason, there was no “WHY” in their reason they were in business. It is said that a man can grow his income exponentially, but if he does not work on himself, that income will come right back down to the same level as the business owner. Unfortunately for this business, it was too late. I don’t want it to be too late for me or for you.
 
We are only given one day at a time. Once that day is over, we can never get it back. I would guess that 97% of the population was never brought up on a planned schedule. I mean a schedule where you plan the following day hour by hour. Is the schedule always going to be perfect; are there things that happen in life? Yes, but how much time do you honestly spend being busy getting nothing done? We’ve all heard the saying “Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day”. Why, then, has the 3% rule always been in effect, meaning that the majority of the wealth has always belonged to the top 3% of the population?
 
I’ll tell you why, it’s because the 3% doesn’t listen to the 97%. The 3% does what the 97% won’t.  As Jim Rohn would say in his early days, “I sure hope things will change”. Then he learned that the only way things were going to change is when he changed.  
 
You have to figure out your “WHY”; then you have to figure out the purpose and reward for your “why”; then you have to figure out how achieving that reward will make you feel; and finally you have to figure out your massive plan of action to get you there. If you don’t know how to do this, ASK how to do it. You cannot get your questions answered if they are never asked. On a personal note, the size of your question determines the size of your answer.
 
Here’s a handful of things I do: 
 
• I have a note on my bathroom mirror that says “What did I produce today?”
• I spend 30-40 minutes every morning reading something to empower me for that day
• Another thing I have is a whiteboard that has my “WHY’s”, dates to achieve them and how much      income I need to get me there. 
• I have pictures of my goals posted everywhere. This can be magazine cutouts, printouts from the computer, etc. Put them in areas you frequent daily like the bathroom mirror, the kitchen cabinets, the frig, the TV:) (I don’t have any there because I don’t watch much TV). Tape them in your car.       Put them on the ceiling above your bed. Whatever it’s going to take to keep you focused on your “Why”. I think you get the idea.  
 
Now you might say “I don’t have time to do all of that. I only have an hour, maybe two per night”. Okay, you may have 1-2 hours per night, but what are you doing when you’re eating breakfast, what do you do at lunch? I don’t know about you, but I can read and eat at the same time if that’s what it takes to incorporate a small amount of personal development time into changing my future. What about the commute to work? Turn off the radio and turn your vehicle into a mobile university. Put in a tape or CD. MP3 players are readily available now. Download some personal development and listen to it during your commute, while you cook, while you clean, etc.  How strong is your desire to change?
 
Now let’s look at what you are doing with those 1-2 hours per night? Do they consist of reading e-mails, listening to a training call, organizing your desk neatly? Those are not action items. If you need to check emails, end supper 15 minutes early and be diligent about skimming the emails; read the important ones and delete the not-so-important ones or leave them for checking on the weekend. I can tell you this has made a big difference in the extra amount of time I have. Now, for that 1-2 hours per night you have…you should be working on whatever methods of advertising you have chosen to “act” upon.  If you have made a commitment to work on your business 1-2 hours every night, then have some sticktoitiveness. If you’re tired, which are you more tired of; being physically tired or being sick and tired?
 
Finally, ask yourself “Was I productive or busy?” – “Who would follow me?” – “Would I want me on my team?” Be honest with yourself. Your action plan could change someone else’s life; maybe even your own. 
 
To Your Success,
 
Rhonda