Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/450770
FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | 31 Carla Fowler, MD, PhD, is the managing director of THAXA (thaxa.com), a boutique consulting firm that helps clients pursuing ambitious goals in the business and nonprofit sectors achieve greater success through brutal focus. " A plan should not look like a laundry list of all the things you could do to achieve your objective. As we know, not everything contributes equally to our achievements. Instead, we must be selective about what we choose to do—and what we will not do." 1. FOCUS YOUR GOAL Scientific research has shown repeatedly that setting a specific measurable goal pushes us toward better performance. The goal acts to focus our efforts and helps us avoid distractions. Ideas that remain ambiguous and without deadlines, on the other hand, don't achieve the same effect. In addition, goals that aren't fueled with sufficient motivation and commitment are at risk of being dropped. Consider the following questions to stoke your goal with components that turn it into a powerful tool of achievement: • Specifically, what do you want to achieve? • Why do you want to achieve it? • What endpoint excites you? • What closely held values can't be ignored while you are pursuing your goal? For example, time with spouse, exercise, health. • When do you hope to achieve the goal? Is there a deadline? Is the deadline flexible? 2. FOCUS YOUR PLAN A plan should not look like a laundry list of all the things you could do to achieve your objective. As we know, not everything contributes equally to our achievements. Instead, we must be selective about what we choose to do—and what we will not do. The following questions can help highlight the things that should receive the bulk of your time and effort as you work toward a focused goal: • What seems most critical to your success? • What would help build the most momentum toward your goal? • What is most likely to distract you from focusing on the most important things? • What could you do that would make your goal easier to achieve? • What could you eliminate to make it easier to focus? • If you suddenly had half as much time to work toward your goal, what would you focus on? The answers to these questions will provide a valuable starting place for you to design a plan that incorporates the most important things. 3. FOCUS YOUR ACTIONS From constant requests by other people to frequent interruptions by the arrival of new email or text messages, many things can foil even the most focused plan. Our brains are wired to more readily respond to "urgent" requests even if they aren't as important as our current task. Many of us are also prone to prioritizing tasks that can be completed easily in order to gain a sense of progress while delaying more important yet complex tasks. Try the following strategies to avoid these common pitfalls: • Schedule protected time to work on your most critical tasks first. • When possible, complete critical tasks in the morning, when you have the most energy and discipline available, so you can build momentum for the rest of the day. • Communicate your goal and plan to those individuals involved and whose support is necessary for successful execution. • Batch more-variable tasks or obligations (e.g., email, paperwork, errands) at a designated time to limit the inefficiencies associated with switching tasks frequently. • Give yourself some buffer time in your schedule so you have flexibility for the unexpected without having to give up your priorities. When you're in the business of pursuing challenging endeavors, it may feel like you are in a continual sprint. Although you can't escape the reality that there are only 24 hours in a day, you can change how you use those hours. The next time you find yourself wishing for more time, or trying to cram one more activity into your life, remind yourself that doing more doesn't actually guarantee better results. Instead, give yourself space to step back and think. Review what you want to achieve. Then direct your efforts toward what's most critical—and let brutal focus concentrate your impact.