FOCUS vs FUTURISTIC
“Wouldn’t it be great if . . .” I‘m the kind of person who loves to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates me. As if it were projected on the wall, I see in detail what the future hold and this detailed picture keeps pulling me forward, into tomorrow. While the exact content of the picture will depend on my other strengths and interests – a better product, a better team, a better life, or a better world – it will always be inspirational to you.
Wouldn’t it be great if…….
I‘m a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and who cherishes those visions. When the present proves too frustrating and the people around me are too pragmatic, I conjure up my visions of the future and they energize me. They can energize others, too. Very often people look to me to describe – my visions of the future. They want a picture that can raise their sights and thereby their spirits. I can paint it for them.
I love new ideas, new tech, new methods and how they can relate to my current business. However, it also means I can be distracted and start working on step 3-4 instead of focusing on getting the base stable.
As a coach, I’m talking to very interesting, inspiring, visionary and hard-working leaders. As one would expect this fuels my vision of the future as well. Thanks to my mentor and partner we both keep us accountable, first and foremost to work on the base, the current and do one step after the other.
As I know this I have to have discipline and create routines to keep pushing on things from the present, otherwise, I get distracted.
I love new ideas!
Some hacks:
Only work on the must and needed:
- Have clarity on what you want to accomplish in the year, then put it into Quarter goals and then work on the details per Quarter (followed by monthly and weekly). Everything else goes into my Trello Backlog to be reviewed mid-year.
Priorities very harsh
- Use a strict prioritization tool whether Eisenhower or any other tool that helps you to put your priorities straight. Also, use a solid basic structure that allows you to accomplish more and delegate or outsource.
Strongly limit the number of decisions
- Whether you should join a venue, a meeting or a talk, even something simple what to eat, to wear should be kept on a simple level. EVERY decision consumes energy – so have a routine to stick to simple decisions.
The green sea turtle success way
- Use the energy flow and don‘t swim against it. On some days you have more energy and on some days not, don‘t push too hard. Accept your productivity flow and adjust accordingly (e.g. I‘m most productive between 2-5 pm, so avoid many meetings at this time as possible) In your low phase use the time for a less energy-consuming task like travel expenses, etc. (No Commercial! I can recommend – John Strelecky Chapter 10 „The Why Cafe“)
The balance between productivity and pause
- don’t feel guilty when you take a break, plug off and just relax. You are still productive, your brain continues to work and thinks. Enjoy your time, enjoy to let your thoughts wander and be defocused. Consciously enjoy it and keep your breaks holy.
Make a fixed me break during the day
- Whether it is a short walk, going alone for lunch, reading on a bench outside. Anything that rewards you for the hours you already worked. Schedule it as an important meeting and only compromise in the event of an emergency, otherwise keep it a „holy time“.