Day 6

Morning Review. What will be your reward if you reach your Daily Actions target today? What do you need to do to make that score possible? Here are three suggested strategies to try:

1. Do it first. Avoid doing anything else until your Daily Actions are completed. Don’t check your e-mail, tidy up the house, or answer the phone. Eliminate every possible distraction until you have reached your target score for today.

2. Do it now. You may have some Daily Actions that need to occur later in your day rather than first thing. Every time you think of one of them, do it immediately. Let’s say you need to ask for one referral per day. When you are in conversation with someone, just ask for a referral as soon as you think of it—right then, no matter what you are talking about. If you find yourself forgetting, put a rubber band around your wrist, and let it remind you each time you notice it.

3. Block out time. If your schedule prevents doing all your Daily Actions first, block out time on your calendar. Make a specific appointment with yourself and honor it just as though someone else were expecting you. Use this appointment as an excuse if other people try to detain or distract you. If you’re afraid you’ll forget or get busy with something else, try setting an alarm.

Daily Scores. Did you earn your reward today? Congratulations! If you’re still having trouble, review your Daily Actions list again. If you find it too ambitious, you can scale back your level of effort at any point during the program, as long as you stick to the guidelines for choosing Daily Actions given in Chapter 5. You may decide that you already have the right list, but the problem you need to solve is how to make it happen.

Try again tomorrow to use the three strategies listed above. Don’t beat yourself up or feel as if you’re failing. It may take you several attempts to successfully change your work habits so that marketing becomes a part of your day. Keep at it; the payoff will be worth the effort.

Thought for the day: Learning any new habit is like starting an exercise program. It can be painful at first, but as you exercise that particular muscle, it becomes stronger and supports you better. Over time, the pain gives way to tolerance, tolerance to satisfaction, and satisfaction to exhilaration as you see the results of your commitment and persistence.