Listen to your gut instincts. They have probably been right more often than you’ve noticed.
Research and science are great if you’re unsure, want greater confidence or the options are close. Otherwise, save your time and go with your gut.
(Note: please scroll down this email further and you should see yesterday’s blog post, which I understand some of you did not receive. Best wishes!)
You have less time than you think!
Get there early. Finish the project early. Get the documents back early.
Whenever you can get something done early, you should do it. Not only does it look good, it’s great for your reputation, speeds things up, costs less and feels good.
There’s a reason the saying is, “The early bird catches the worm”.
Train yourself to be 15-30 minutes early for all appointments, days early for any submitted work, and weeks early when starting a project.
One time, when I arrived an hour before the event was due to start, I was able to have a great conversation with the headline speaker, the CEO of Vodafone plc, who had also decided to arrive early….
It’s so easy to start projects. But completing projects can be a different matter.
We need to say no to most project proposals. They don’t bring us enough joy and often remove joy as they linger unfinished. They remind us that we have so much to do and create unnecessary stress in our lives.
Take on fewer projects. Start fewer projects. Complete more projects.
This is how you get that Winning feeling.
If something was worth doing or trying once, you should try again.
Coordinate your plans. Sync your watches. Plan your days.
It is always useful to ensure full coordination when preparing a meeting, event or assembly.
Coordination will determine if you have a good event or great event. So get communicating.
Everybody has their moment of hard. Just because you don’t see them going through it, doesn’t mean they aren’t. And they may not be going through it right now but perhaps they did three years ago. Or maybe they will go through it in the next three years.
People have hard moments that they have to get through. Give them your support. Allow them some grace. They may not know how to deal with it. It could be a bit messy. Let them have some space and give them a break if it isn’t perfectly dealt with.
I know we can get busy, frustrated or even cross, but do treat people decently. This attitude will shift the behaviour of many others and the knock-on effect will be incredible!
When you can.
Life can be bumpy and your kindness can save a soul.
Be playful. Smile. Assume the best. Or assume the person is having a difficult day or year.
Most people are good natured. Often a smile, gentle jest, easy laugh or simple, “I hear that” can lift a person out of the ditch if despair and get them back into the game of life.
Be the person with a better plus-minus* ratio in life than anyone else you know. Don’t let great opportunities pass you by. Be cheerful – it’s contagious.
*Do you make more people smile after they interact with you or do more people get grumpy?Your goal is to make more positive impacts than negative ones!
Life is fun, act like it!
