1. Since we can't create more hours in a week, we need to better manage the 168 that we do have. This means three things: eliminate wasted hours (surfing the web, mindless TV watching), better priority management (schedule according to priorities, not tasks), and eliminate arbitrary rules (who says you can't work at night and sleep during the day?).

2. Increase the breadth and depth of your general knowledge base on a weekly basis. It doesn't take much effort to read several newspapers (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, etc) or periodicals of some sort every week.

3. Work to be more innovative, which means improving products and processes prior to waiting for problems to arise. There is always a way to get better, no matter how good you are, and the end result is even more distance between you and your competitors.

4. Plan to make each day a success. At the beginning of each day, peruse your schedule to anticipate obstacles, plan relaxation or naps, get a work out in, and do a highly professional job at work. At the end of the day, review your efforts, and aspire to do even better the following day.

Back to top

Titles I’m working through this coming month:

1. Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

2. Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer

3. Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Ori and Rom Brafman

One of the most rewarding aspects of my everyday work is the fact that I get to play a small part in the enormous changes that my clients are making on a daily basis. I find tremendous satisfaction in sharing in my clients’ victories, be they small or large. I’m sure that most sports coaches would agree that this is partly why they do what they do.

And so I got to thinking: What must it be like for those that we help? What would it be like to have a “coach” that put their all into our personal or professional development? Wouldn’t we all want that? We’d want someone that never got discouraged with us, even when we weren’t on top of our games. We’d want someone that motivated us with caring and rationality, not fear and irrationality. Our coach would go the extra mile for us, carrying us on their back when we are too weak to walk, without complaining or holding it against us. Our coach would be the ultimate exemplar in our life, living on a daily basis in a manner that inspired and humbled those watching.

How many of us would currently qualify as that sort of “coach” to others? How many of us put others ahead of our own selfish motivations? Certainly, we can all do a better job as “coaches.” We spend far too much time on ourselves, and are so caught up in our own race that we fail to look to our left and right to notice that there are other participants.

I believe firmly that you get what you deserve in life over the long haul. This month, try giving back by being an exemplar in the life of someone around you. Root for them, cheer them on, share your knowledge, work your butt off, and push them to be the best. You might be surprised at the results.

Back to top