Rich Fettke

Inch By Inch, Life’s A Cinch

Posted by Rich Fettke.

"Yard by yard, life is hard. Inch by inch, life’s a cinch."

-Anonymous

Well, we are almost half way through the year.  Are you making progress with your dreams and goals? What I’ve noticed with many of my clients (and myself) is that we come up with some great ideas and plans, we begin to take action, and then life "gets in the way."

Creating and using Success Habits is one of the best ways I’ve found to move in the direction of your most important goals, without getting caught in the Struggle Syndrome. Try this. Think of one action that would add to your success if you did it on a daily basis.

After pondering that question for a little while, my client Lisa told me that she had lots of friends who were willing to refer business to her, but she had been slacking off when it came to calling them. Lisa wanted to build her financial planning practice, but she was overwhelmed with all the other "stuff" she had to do. She told me, "If I were to follow up with a couple of my friends each day, I’m sure it would stir up new business for me."

Lisa asked me to hold her accountable each week to following her new Success Habit. She contacted one friend a day and the results were outstanding! Lisa’s client base began to grow almost every week through referrals. She saw, first hand, the benefit of using Success Habits. Since then, Lisa has added four more success habits to her life, ranging from walking three times per week to sending a card to a friend or family member once a week saying what she appreciates about them. Her business is more profitable and her life is more balanced and fulfilling. Lisa learned that yard by yard life is hard…inch by inch, it’s a cinch.

 

ACTION IDEA:

What is ONE action that would add to your success (at work or in life) if you did it on a daily basis? Make a commitment to yourself to take action this week. If you really to want improve the results of this strategy, come up with a way to track your Success Habit and ask someone to be your partner and to hold you accountable. Tell your partner that at the end of the week you will let him or her know how many times you followed through on your habit. Use the power of partnership and public declaration to increase your chance of success. Enjoy the process!

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Getting Started (The 30-60-90 Strategy)

Posted by Rich Fettke.

 

"The smallest of actions is always better than the noblest of intentions." -Robin S. Sharma, Author of Who Will Cry When You Die

What is something that you’ve wanted to do but you keep putting it off?

You can use the 30-60-90 strategy to help you get started on what really matters. Choose that one task that would feel great to get handled. Then, set a time when you will devote either 30, 60 or 90 minutes towards its completion. You don’t have to complete the task in the time you have allotted — you simply make a commitment to give it your total focus for that amount of time and then you can stop once the time frame has ended.

When you make a commitment and then take action on that commitment, you prove to yourself that you can be counted on. The more often you hear that message the more you will strengthen your self-belief and self-esteem.

Another benefit to this strategy is that when you take action on something that really matters you will get a charge of energy and motivation. Your brain will release endorphins that make you feel great and you will have created momentum that will carry over to other areas of your life. You don’t have to wait until you feel motivated to get going. Sometimes when you get going your motivation will follow and will grow.

ACTION IDEA:

Identify that one project or action that would benefit your career or your life if it were handled. Make a commitment to yourself to take action today. Decide if you will commit to this action for 30, 60, or 90 minutes. Then choose a time to begin and get to it. If you really want to improve the results of this strategy, ask your coach or success partner to hold you accountable. Make a promise to call or email before you begin and then immediately after you complete your task.

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