“So what do you need to do together with your life?”
Tim Ferriss sat throughout from me, at a boutique lodge by a brackish seashore in Lamu Island, Kenya.
It was July, 2011. I used to be simply shy of 26 years previous.
It was an enormous query, and greater than something on the earth at that second, I needed to impress him.
He had been my hero for years, I had learn his first ebook 7 occasions, and his capability to seemingly bend actuality to his will round him was already gaining legendary standing.
We had run into one another and had a pleasant trade, simply two Lengthy Island boys on the gymnasium in Cooper Sq., NYC a couple of years earlier, and when the chance to spend 10 days collectively touring arose together with his newest ebook launch, I jumped throughout it.
I informed him a bit about my burgeoning profession in equities buying and selling, my objectives and desires. I had misplaced my dad unexpectedly the 12 months earlier than, and I used to be clearly nonetheless spinning a bit.
He thought for a minute, and at last stated: “Do you need to go to North Korea?”
I couldn’t course of the query – “Why?” was all I might muster.
Tim: I feel it might be good for you, my pal is working a mastermind group there.
Me: Who’s your pal?
Tim: I can’t let you know that, he’s a non-public however well-known individual.
Me: Are YOU going to North Korea?
Tim: No.
Me: {File not discovered}
Suffice to say, I didn’t go to North Korea, however after I bought dwelling and recovered from the malaria I contracted that very night time on the journey (mosquito nets, folks) I bought an electronic mail from Neil Strauss, who had simply gotten again with a small group to North Korea for a brand new mastermind group he had began, to assist males evolve into their greatest selves.
Not keen to tempt destiny by ‘refusing the decision’ a second time, I rang his crew up, and joined immediately.
Little did I do know, I’d lastly enter my entrepreneurial incubation interval, surrounded by individuals who I’d be taught invaluable classes with, touring the world, and at last changing into a extra productive, efficient and aligned model of myself.
Now I’m simply shy of 40, and for a few years I’ve been constructing, main, becoming a member of, and serving to folks launch and scale numerous mastermind teams, all of the whereas assembly and studying from all varieties of profitable folks.
Masterminds are nonetheless my primary hack, the one factor I’d concentrate on if I might solely concentrate on one factor. Achieved proper, they’re the most important pressure multiplier in my life.
3 of the companies I’ve began have hit the 7 determine mark, and I’m nonetheless in love with the sport, studying, rising and sharing what I be taught as I’m going.
One factor I consider holds lots of entrepreneurs again is a failure to persistently prioritize and keep on monitor towards their objectives.
All of us need what we do to matter, as a substitute of attending to the top of the day and feeling such as you ‘did lots of stuff’ however nothing necessary bought carried out.
It additionally sucks when there may be extra ‘month’ on the finish of the cash.
Each entrepreneur has additionally confronted that overwhelming feeling of staring down a protracted listing of duties, unclear on the place to start out. It’s simple to get misplaced within the swirl of to-dos, conferences, emails, and messages that demand our consideration.
Nonetheless, with out clear priorities, progress stalls, and because the good ebook says: “And not using a imaginative and prescient, folks perish.”
Or binge watch Netflix and doom scroll on Insta.
The flexibility to hone in on what issues most is commonly what separates the people who find themselves thriving from simply surviving or worse, giving up totally.
On this article, we’ll discover a couple of key productiveness hacks and mindset shifts to assist entrepreneurs (such as you!) prioritize successfully, keep circulate, and obtain outcomes that actually matter.
Tony Robbins RPM
Some of the impactful ideas I realized from Tony Robbins is the RPM technique—Outcomes, Function, Huge Motion.
Merely put, it’s about getting clear on what you need (outcomes), understanding why it issues (goal), after which aligning your power and actions to attain it (large motion).
Many individuals have infinite to-do lists, checking off small duties that maintain them busy however not essentially productive. They haven’t outlined what success seems to be like or why it’s necessary to them. Whenever you outline your outcomes, you get readability. Whenever you perceive your goal, you construct drive.
And while you decide to large motion, you create momentum. 1% higher per day doesn’t appear to be a lot, but it surely compounds, 3778% higher in a 12 months, actually.
The three×5 Word Card Method
One of many easiest, handiest hacks I’ve adopted for prioritization comes from, you guessed it, Mr. Tim Ferriss: the three×5 observe card approach.
Each night, I write down 3-5 high-priority duties that should be accomplished earlier than anything the next morning. You’re compelled to be clear, exact and transient, and you may’t match an excessive amount of crap on the cardboard.
For me, the perfect time to sort out this listing is true after I get up, throughout my best hours.
Earlier than checking my cellphone, emails, or social media, I dive straight into this prioritized work. This has the twin profit of making a transparent path for the day and benefiting from my peak psychological readability.
Issues which can be priorities for the longer term, are placed on the calendar to be positioned on one other card for one more day, or discarded if they’re now not related after we get there.
I work on priorities and train within the morning, and talk and take calls within the afternoon.
I try to get rid of, automate, or delegate something and every thing that’s not a thousand greenback an hour job or extra.
That’s it.
What makes this technique highly effective is its simplicity. It forces you to confront what really issues and can transfer the ball ahead every day. When your duties are restricted to solely a handful, the impetus to execute on these particular gadgets will increase, and the probability of reaching them turns into larger.
Attaining circulate, that state of full immersion and heightened productiveness, is essential for tackling high-priority duties successfully.
Steven Kotler, a world main circulate knowledgeable I had the pleasure of getting dinner with not way back in Scottsdale AZ, shared a easy hack that has helped him write 14 books and counting, a lot of them bestsellers:
Edit your writing from the day past.
This technique eases you into circulate since you’re revisiting present content material, which naturally engages your thoughts and eliminates the friction that usually comes with beginning contemporary.
In my very own routine, I mix this idea with one other productiveness hack—listening to the identical songs on repeat.
I do know it’d sound odd, however taking part in tracks like “Animals” by Martin Garrix and “Tsunami” on loop gives a rhythmic background that helps me keep targeted for hours. No lyrics, no distractions, and also you practice your mind to understand it’s ‘go’ time when that exact track comes on.
With that form of sustained focus, I can simply knock out 2,000-3,000 phrases in a sitting. Not too long ago, I used to be in a position to end up a 42,000 phrase manuscript for my 4th ebook in 21 days.
The secret is beginning straight away within the morning. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate. Leap straight into it, and circulate will observe. Begin the place you’re, and maintain going. You bought this.
When to Shift Priorities: Well being, Household, Enterprise
The problem of priorities isn’t simply figuring out what to concentrate on; it’s figuring out when these priorities ought to shift. For entrepreneurs, priorities ought to fall right into a hierarchy: well being, household, and enterprise.
- Well being First: If you happen to’re not wholesome, you may’t assist anybody else. Bodily and psychological well-being is the muse upon which all different achievements are constructed.
- Household Subsequent: These are the relationships that make life value residing. Success with out somebody to share it with is the last word failure. A scarcity of household focus can result in reaching outcomes that really feel empty. This consists of not simply your default household, however your loved ones of selection, your experience or die folks, your sisters from different misters, your brothers from different moms.
- Then Enterprise: Your profession is important for offering the assets to help your life, but it surely shouldn’t come on the expense of your well being or household.
Nonetheless, life is unpredictable, and there are occasions when imminent hazard, sudden alternatives, or private emergencies necessitate a short lived shift in priorities.
The secret is to acknowledge when to regulate with out dropping sight of your final imaginative and prescient and objectives. And getting again on monitor as shortly as attainable.
Understanding the R&R Matrix (Outcomes & Relationships)
One essential idea I realized from Scott Whitaker is the Outcomes & Relationships (R&R) matrix. This instrument helps you stability the necessity to drive outcomes with the significance of constructing and sustaining relationships.
Right here’s a fast overview of how the matrix works:
- Low Outcomes / Low Relationships: Folks received’t be part of or keep in your neighborhood (e.g., mastermind, crew) in the event that they don’t see outcomes or really feel linked.
- Low Outcomes / Excessive Relationships: If individuals are solely in your group for the relationships, they’ll finally really feel like they’re simply paying to hang around with buddies, resulting in dissatisfaction.
- Excessive Outcomes / Low Relationships: Folks get the outcomes they need however go away shortly as a result of there’s no sense of household or connection preserving them engaged.
- Excessive Outcomes / Excessive Relationships: The candy spot. Folks keep, obtain their objectives, construct significant relationships, and assist unfold your message to others, making a cycle of development and success, together with that recurring income all of us have to thrive.
The aim for any entrepreneur, chief, or neighborhood builder is to attempt for this high-results, high-relationships quadrant. This stability creates sustained success, whether or not in enterprise masterminds or different ventures.
I consider that relationships are to be prioritized larger than money- they will and do change into infinitely extra invaluable as time goes on, and the proper relationship on the proper time can create infinite cash.
Steve and Steve at Apple, Invoice and Steve at Microsoft, Larry and Sergei at Google, Mark and Sheryl at Meta, and so forth.
Taking good care of folks, including worth to their lives, and persistently constructing over time signifies that you have been there earlier than they ‘blew up’ when everybody now needs a chunk of their success for their very own causes.
All of the ‘Johnny come latelies” have to face in line when you can proceed to be a invaluable and trusted pal, confidant and associate, rising and successful collectively.
Individuals are all the time shocked at who I do know, and I might write a complete ebook simply on that one slim subject, however I’ll go away you with a pair inquiries to ponder for now: ‘Do you have to know every thing if you realize all people? How will you dig the properly earlier than you want it so you’re by no means thirsty for the remainder of your life?”
It’s not onerous, per se, but it surely does require self-discipline, consistency and giving a rattling. Your values aren’t your values until you may select them when selecting is troublesome. When selecting them means chances are you’ll lose one thing else you worth, a minimum of within the quick time period, to win the lengthy recreation.
The Tony Hawk Story: Realigning Priorities
Upon getting readability in your priorities, the following step is to speak them successfully. Whether or not it’s inside your loved ones, crew, or broader neighborhood, clear communication is essential to make sure everyone seems to be on the identical web page and understands the explanations behind your selections.
Transparency fosters belief and eliminates pointless friction. By aligning your priorities together with your actions and phrases, you create an atmosphere the place these round you realize what to anticipate and the best way to help you.
Take, for instance, the legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk, as associated on the “Blocks” podcast with Neal Brennan.
For years, Hawk would make his household depressing if he missed a trick after engaged on all of it day.
The frustration he felt would spill over into his interactions, creating rigidity at dwelling. They weren’t enrolled in his imaginative and prescient. He felt remoted, they felt overlooked.
Finally, his household helped him realign his priorities, and he adopted a more healthy perspective on his efficiency.
Remarkably, this shift didn’t make him a worse skater—actually, it made him a happier one.
This story is a strong reminder that as we undergo life, our priorities should evolve, particularly once they’re inflicting detrimental externalities in {our relationships} or well being.
Development doesn’t all the time imply sacrificing what’s necessary to you; generally, it’s about reshaping your method to create a extra sustainable concord between your priorities.
Stability could also be elusive and never an ideal goal to intention for, however an ideal track has a concord that ebbs and flows to create a stupendous expertise.
Constructing Wealth and Sustaining Priorities
For entrepreneurs seeking to construct wealth, the trail isn’t all the time easy.
As you develop, your priorities ought to shift in a approach that protects your wealth whereas fostering development.
Consider it like this:
- Earnings First: The quickest strategy to wealth is to extend your revenue. Give attention to buying abilities like management, negotiation, gross sales, and private growth that will let you commerce up for larger and higher property and revenue streams.
- Safety and Security: When you’ve constructed a basis, the following precedence is defending that wealth by means of diversified investments, emergency funds, and threat administration. That is HARD as a result of what bought you right here, received’t get you the place you need to go subsequent. You have to be taught to play offense AND protection to win video games persistently, and know when to modify gears and why. In any other case, every thing you constructed might go away.
- Development and Threat Buckets: With safety in place, you may then search development alternatives and take calculated dangers, whereas persevering with to maintain ‘the principle factor the principle factor’ and develop your revenue, whereas leveraging your capital successfully over the long run, creating and buying property that will let you obtain monetary escape velocity.
Balancing these monetary priorities together with your private {and professional} objectives will will let you create a life the place success doesn’t come on the expense of well-being or success.
On a private observe: I’ve gotten all of this unsuitable earlier than, and this text is simply as a lot a reminder for me as it might additionally provide help to.
It’s my honest hope that a minimum of certainly one of these methods provide help to discover what you’re on the lookout for, since you are value it and deserve the perfect in life.
Wherever you’re in your journey, I see you and it will get higher. Preserve combating the great combat.
Okay, let’s recap:
Key Takeaways: Your Information to Prioritization
- Begin Every Day with Intentional Motion: Use the 3×5 observe card approach to establish 3-5 high-impact duties every night earlier than signing off.
- Discover and Defend Your Movement: Have interaction in actions that provide help to obtain a state of circulate, like modifying work from the day earlier than or listening to a repetitive playlist.
- Outcomes and Relationships: Use the R&R matrix to make sure you’re hitting the mark in each areas, and preserving your eyes on the prize.
- Alter When Essential: Be versatile and keen to shift your priorities briefly primarily based on well being, household, or enterprise wants.
- Lead with Transparency: Talk your priorities successfully to create alignment with these round you.
- Construct Wealth with Prioritization in Thoughts: Give attention to growing revenue first, then transfer on to safety, development, and calculated dangers.
By understanding and making use of these ideas, you can also make every day rely, obtain your objectives extra effectively, and shock your self with how your productiveness skyrockets.