Results Focus Archives - Scott's Thinking

Don’t Let The Referee Decide The Result

Posted on June 13, 2020

I like this as a life lesson for all circumstances. I use it with my kids often. In the context of sport, don’t let the referee decide the result, means play so well that a few unfavourable calls won’t matter.

As a rugby coach of 13 year old boys, I have occasionally heard players, from both sides, comment on the reffing standard in a match. These types of comments can sometimes come from adults too when they are playing or watching sport.

My simple response to people is to play better and play harder. Outwork and outthink your opponent. Score many more points than the other team. Then, if a few calls don’t go your way, it won’t matter.

Play so well in every aspect of life that the ‘referee’ that observes your performance can only reward you with a win. Yes, it means practicing more and playing at a higher level at all times. That is fine, because excellence is a worthy habit to strive toward anyway.

Whether it is at work, in a relationship, driving your car, parking or paying bills, etc., don’t let things get so close that a third party can impact the outcome.

Train with enthusiasm and harder than you would play in a game. Then play the game so well that you win convincingly. Don’t let the referee decide the result.

Action Goals, Results & New Thinking

There Is Always A Way!

Posted on February 24, 2020

I was watching a Diddy and Dalio chat on YouTube this morning, while doing some exercise, and I was interested to hear that they both have this philosophy – that there is always a way. It’s always nice to hear other people say things you believe, whether they are famous or not.

This point of view reminded me of a quote that is on a plaque I bought when I was about 16. I had it on the wall in my bathroom at my Mom’s house back then, and it is still there today. The quote is, “The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”

There is always a way to get closer to your goals. Start with getting better informed. This can begin with a Google search, a magazine, a book, YouTube or a conversation. Then use that information to grow a little more and gather more wisdom and connections in your space. When a door shuts, look for an open window. Keep pushing forward on your quest.

I’ve used this philosophy to go from growing up on a dairy farm in rural Ontario, Canada, to having lived and worked on four continents before I was 30. Twice I have taken time out, for a year or more, to travel and explore the world: Once while at university and again in my mid-30’s.

Start living with this philosophy when you are young. Know that there will be speed bumps but always continue on towards your goal. If you are reading this, and you are not as young as you once were, even more reason to focus and go after your big goal with concentrated action and determination.

Try this today on one or two things that you feel is very important to you. Find a way to move it forward, even with just a phone call. Sometimes you’ll be amazed at how a little effort can get the universe on your side. And that is sure to get you smiling. ?

Action Observe Progress Think About It

What Ten Words Describe You?

Posted on February 23, 2020

Can you describe yourself? It’s a great exercise. Try it right now.

Grab a pen and paper or toggle into your notes section of your device.

Write the numbers from 1 to 10. Then see how many single words (or short phrases) you can write about yourself, up to a maximum of 10.

These words should describe what you think of you, right now. It’s not what your best friend thinks of you or what you think your mother might say. Be as objective and honest/realistic as you can. You don’t have to show anyone.

To get your mental gears going, here are a few examples:

Olympian
Tea lover
Clean Air Advocate
Student
Soccer/Football fan

This is not a forever list. It can change as your life changes or your perception changes.

For those of you in the advanced class, now write 10 words/short phrases you would like to describe you by 1 January 2022.

If you had put smoker today, you may want to become a Clean Air Advocate by 2022. If you had put Olympian, you may want to describe yourself as a gold medalist after this summers’ Olympics. You may wish to move from ‘good father’ to ‘world class dad’.

These two lists are good steps to help you learn about yourself and see what you can achieve.

Many people will spend far more time planning their holiday than they will discovering who they are and what changes they could make to bring more joy to their life.

Consider this the first step towards becoming the person you would most like to be. Still yourself: Just a better version of you.

Go make those lists!

(If you get stuck, go into the Facebook group pages and I can help you out.)

Action Goals, Results & New Thinking

Take Control

Posted on February 15, 2020

There is a mess in your life somewhere. You need to own it. You need to take control of it. Look it straight in the eye and say, “I am sorting you out today!”. Then go ahead and do it.

There is huge power and energy in deciding you will take control and make something happen. You start getting clarity. You Even want to move forward more quickly.

Find something today that you have been avoiding, putting off, procrastinating with, and then take control of it. Sort it out. Wrestle with it. Stick with it. Put a quick plan together to tackle it. Then execute on that plan. Get started.

Allow yourself that feeling of being in control. In command. Directing the outcome. Pushing things forward. You will stop making reasons and start making results. You will feel exhilarated. Confident. Ready.

You will make it happen. Take Control.

Progress Reframe your thoughts

Restarts

Posted on February 3, 2020

Sometimes we drop the ball. It happens to everyone. We’re going along nicely with our skill or habit and then boom, we lose it. People always fall off course, either from something they do themselves or because of some event that affects them.

The secret is in quickly restarting. Don’t wait a day or two until you feel like restarting or trying again. Don’t let the pressure or guilt get to you.

When you fall off a bike, you get back on it quickly and try again. Same with diets. If you have something to eat that wasn’t going to help you reach your ultimate goal, don’t say, “I’ll start next week”. Or tomorrow. Say, I made a mistake but my goal is important and I am getting back on track right now,

James Clear, author of the NYT bestselling book Atomic Habits, says it quite simply, “Never miss twice”. So you can miss a habit once and that’s just life. But if you miss twice, you’re actually starting a new habit. And it doesn’t sound like a good habit either.

I’ve talked about getting started with Start Me Up, being clear on The Finish Line, and now how to Restart. These are three cornerstone components to building great habits.

Remember, never miss twice, and restart immediately.

Action Progress Reframe your thoughts

The Thrill of Being Early

Posted on January 22, 2020

Can you remember the last time you arrived somewhere early? Relaxed, composed, delighted. Maybe even just a little bit pleased with having pulled it off.

Maybe you were 15 minutes early, ahead of everyone else, and were able to greet everybody as they arrived. Perhaps you enjoyed your new status as the early bird and you even thought this might make a good habit to adopt.

Even if you were bang on time, it’s still such a thrill to arrive by the time you were expected. I know I love that feeling. It feels so very good. So what do you need to do to consistently get that early bird calm and confidence?

There are three critical success factors in arriving early. Do these with every meeting, appointment or event and you’ll get to experience that thrill of already winning, if only because of the time that you arrived.

First, you must realistically work backwards from the 15 minute early mark. So if your appointment is at 10:00, aim to be exactly in the spot you need to, but by 09:45. In doing so, you must recall your average times required to prepare yourself and journey to the destination. This preparation includes what you need to wear or bring, and assessing transport, weather, parking, security on arrival, possibility of meeting people on the way, etc.

Second, you must add in some contingency time on top of the first step. It depends on the distance travelled, but as an example, if it is within an hour, add 15 minutes (for traffic, bad weather or meeting someone you know en route). If your destination is overseas, add one to two days, depending on the importance of the event.

Third, you must know when to stop doing things beforehand and transition into get ready mode. You must not do, “Just one more thing”. Set a timer on your phone if you must to alert you to the transition moment. But, when it is time to transition into get ready and go mode, you must focus on that and not become distracted or engaged in anything else. You have no “spare” time. You have already calculated the time required to be there early and that extra contingency time was for unexpected things, not to borrow from.

If you do these three things, you will be early 95% of the time and get to feel the thrill of being early as your reward. There are so many other benefits from being early though too, such as a calmer mind on the journey, appreciation from others involved in the event and a sense of personal control and mental power.

At one event, to which I had arrived early, the benefit was that I was able to speak to the CEO of one of the world’s largest telecoms companies, for almost 15 minutes, before he had to prepare to address the arriving audience. Definitely worthwhile.

Develop the three-step habit above and you will get the thrill of arriving early, more and more, as your big new habit of arriving early is developed and reinforced, until it is firmly in your programming.

You may find the benefits to be priceless.

Goals, Results & New Thinking Reframe your thoughts

RESULTS!

Posted on January 21, 2020

We all want results. We want the outcome we envisage in our head.

We do not want reasons. We do not want excuses.

As Jim Rohn said, “Results are the name of the game!”

Reasons or results. You will always get one or the other.

One of my favourite quotes, which has been sitting on my desk for over a year now, is…..

“Results don’t lie.” – Unknown

Whether you are losing weight, training for an event, or trying to earn more money, you can always tell how you are doing by the actual results.

If you want to be brutally honest with yourself, check your results.

Good luck!

Action Think About It

How Important Is This?

Posted on January 16, 2020

If I want to gauge how important something is to me or to someone else, I put it through the same filter I have since I was in my teens. This filter I use is the following: Is the person using the care, diligence and urgency that I imagine a heart or brain surgeon would use on the country’s leader or that a Marine or SAS operative would use on a special mission?

These scenarios are life and death. Mistakes can cost lives, including your own, if you were the patient or the operative.

These people will be highly trained, well drilled, and focused on a successful outcome. They will confidently take action to achieve their desired result.

They probably don’t use phrases like, “I kinda feel like I can give it a try and then we will just see what happens.” Certainly words you do not want to hear from your heart surgeon as they are putting you under…

Action

Action Not Words

Posted on January 15, 2020

I read with interest, an article about the 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Congratulations to all of them. Hard working and action oriented people. It’s usually the way to success. Grind. Discipline. Focus. Battle.

I was reminded about a band that was inducted last year, which was one of my favourites in my teens: Def Leppard. They had a song on their massively successful breakthrough album, Pyromania, called Action Not Words. I’ve often thought about that phrase. It’s short, clear and exactly what is required to move things forward.

You need more action in your life. More action moving you toward the outcome you are looking for. Results not reasons. Execution not excuses. So if you want to be more successful in anything, remind yourself of this simple phrase: Action Not Words.

Go get it done.

Goals, Results & New Thinking

Habit Forming

Posted on January 14, 2020

Constant repetition is required until you reprogram your mind and body with the desired habit (remember your times tables). There are no set number of days to create a habit. It can take some people 15 years to say goodby to cigarettes and only a few days to start going to a new place of work.

If you want to create a new habit, do the thing you should do, but maybe don’t want to do, everyday, until it’s a habit. You’ll know it’s a habit when you no longer think about doing it, it just happens.

Be focused, make it important enough (like a new place of work) and it will be a habit very quickly.

You’ll soon start doing the thought or activity out of habit and start to realise, and focus on, the benefits you are getting. That’s when you will want to really make this new habit stick and not fall back into that old habit.

Call it ‘crossing the threshold’.

It gets easier from there to make this growing habit into a permanent one.

Go try it.