Lately, I have been asked quite a lot about how I juggle so many things and how I make things happen. Pretty much when I say something is going to get done, it gets done. I thought it might be a good thing to explain a bit about my process.
The first thing is to figure out if something is worth doing. Is it fun? Is it lucrative? Does it help you improve in some way or challenge you? Will it be good for you? Questions like these help you determine whether or not it is, indeed, worthwhile.
Second, when you have decided what to do, schedule it all in. Many people only schedule in meetings with other people. It is critical that you think about projects in a similar way to the way you think about meeting other people.
Third, when you commit to something play the entire thing out and estimate a plausible time line for it to be completed. Imagine it was completed… what would it do for you? What would it mean? What would it enable you to do afterwards?
Fourth, prepare for some challenges and potential excuses. It is so easy to come up with excuses about why you can’t do something but this is not a good idea. Prepare in advance for such reasons and excuses. Often, reasons and excuses seem the same. It is smart to identify the way around them and to ensure you have a clever plan to overcome any obstacle on your way to success.
Finally, get into the habit of working continuously at whatever it is and reward yourself accordingly. Give yourself treats of doing things you enjoy after you have finished the less enjoyable tasks.
The reality is that making things happen and getting things done is entirely in your locus of control. The excuses we spend time generating are pointless and useless. All they serve to do is delay what we actually want to have happen. As you follow the steps above, also begin to see yourself as the kind of person who makes things happen. Once you own that identity, you will start to become a rainmaker.
