By Aaron Scott Young, CEO Laughlin Associates
There is a saying that I love and have often offered up as the secret to my success. It goes like this:
“If you have a difficult job, give it to a lazy man. He’ll find an easier way to do it.”
Being somewhat lazy myself, I have put together 10 ways to make the shift from the blissfully relaxing summer into the hard charging fall. Here goes:
1.) Keep It Simple Stupid. Most of us get bogged down in too many things that keep us busy, overworked, and unsuccessful. Have a list – but do one thing at a time.
2.) Eat Your Vegetables. You learned as a kid that it was better to eat the cauliflower first and save the red Jell-O with strawberries for last. The same principle applies to your business. Get the hard, dreaded stuff done first and then enjoy the other, more fun stuff at your leisure.
3.) It Takes A Village. You don’t want to do everything yourself. Even if you think you can’t afford a little help, you will invariably find that having someone else to do the stuff that you suck at will help you do the stuff where you really shine. It always makes you money to surround yourself with talented, hard workers.
4.) Filter The Time Sucks. There are all kinds of hard things that drain your energy and eat up your time that you really don’t have to do. Learn to reject things that don’t truly feed your business, family, and soul.
5.) Be An Adventurer. Too often I meet people who run a business who have become dull thinkers and boring because they have stopped expanding their thoughts and experiences. My wise wife, Michelle, has long taught our children that the definition of adventure is something you have never done before and you don’t know how it will turn out. THAT is what makes it an adventure. Say “yes” to adventures.
6.) The Road Less Traveled Is Easier. The wealthiest man I’ve ever met once advised me that, “If you are standing in line, you’re probably in the wrong place.” When you are with the crowd and everyone else is “doing it”, the room is more crowded, the lanes are all clogged up, and the competition is fierce. When you do things your own unique way, there really is no competition. You’ll be more successful when you go a different way. It sounds too good to be true, but it is…true.
7.) Ya Gotta Love It. It is easier to do something when you are anxious to do it. When you work on stuff that gets your juices flowing and makes you feel alive, you will work harder and not even know it. Follow your passion.
8.) Do What You Are Good At. There is nothing more that will kill my CEO self-esteem than doing mundane work that I hate. Learn to delegate that stuff. When we do things that we know are making a difference, our level of intensity increases and our drive to succeed goes off the charts. Plus, you know you have really accomplished something when you are finished. Life is happier and you feel energized when you do things that matter.
9.) Take A Break. You need quiet time with your thoughts, a good book, or on your knees. Napping is also allowed when necessary.
10.) Get Some Perspective. Autumn is a time of change and we all need a little change from time to time. Sit in a different chair, brush your teeth with the opposite hand, listen to some different music, talk to someone you might otherwise avoid. It is amazing how exciting and magical this old world is when we just look at it in a different way, and really, that is a pretty easy thing to do!
Aaron Young, CEO, Laughlin Associates, can be reached by email at aaronyoung@laughlinusa.com, by phone atg 1-800-648-0966, or on the web at www.laughlinusa.com.
On Mon, Sep 16, 2013 at 1:58 PM, Steve Levine <Steve.Levine@sbtmagazine.net> wrote:
