Hector is a hard-working guy. Smart, disciplined, and driven, he rarely takes time to grab a coffee, linger over lunch or kill time in the countless ways many of us do. Even his weekends are devoid of the usual “downtime” activities others enjoy-watching the game on a Saturday afternoon, surfing the web, or reading up on the market. Yet, he confesses, he never seems to finish the work he wishes to accomplish. And, his long-range goals of going back to school for his master’s degree and finding a better job are likely never to happen. Then, there’s his health. Despite being in near constant motion, he rarely exercises.
When we examine Hector’s week, we find that there are just two or three “critical moments” that make the difference between successfully pursuing his meta-goals and just getting by with his day-to-day responsibilities. Namely, Hector’s critical moments are his weekday mornings before nine a.m., the two hours he has after he gets home on Friday, and a bit of each of his weekend days. If Hector focuses on adding just one half-hour activity to his pre-work routine, much about his lifestyle and career will change dramatically. What if on Fridays during the summer months he snuck in a half-hour swim as soon as he got home? If he negotiated with his wife, he might be able to offer her a similar trip to the gym on a weeknight while he made dinner for her with their two kids. Clearly, shaving just an hour from Saturday or Sunday to work on a project could also make a huge difference.
What are your critical moments? Are they right before or after work, the hour orso before bed? Maybe early Saturday morning is that time when, with a few adjustments, you could go for power walk, take a spin class, or work on your business idea. We all have critical moments where the “big game” is won or lost. The great news is that most of our week we simply show up and do what we always do. It is how we use our critical moments that separate us from the additional success we desire.
What were the critical moments that enabled us to write Fire Your Excuses? They were 10-11 p.m., several nights a week, and a few hours on Saturday each month, over a four year period. There were no “mountain cabins, flannel shirts or three month to write the great American novel.” Our book was written in very small segments over years because that’s all the time we could carve out. Was it worth it? Absolutely. We challenge you to brainstorm this week with someone about your own critical moments and how to seize them.
Best Regards,
Dr. Bill & Dr. Marcus
Fire Your Excuses™ is delighted to be able to support World Vision’s Well Projects by donating 10% of all gross income to assist the people of Malawi, Africa, with clean water. When you enroll in a Fire Your Excuses™ coaching program, attend one of our seminars, or order our book, you are also giving the gift of life—fresh water to needy communities in Malawi, Africa, the world’s sixth poorest country.