Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.
—Wayne Dyer
How many times have you thought, “If I had done that or this I would be in other place, job, location.” Complaining is one of the practices from the 21st century, but please stop complaining and take action. If you want to achieve something, prepare a plan and just do it. Do you want to pass away without doing the things, or after achieving the goals you wanted to get done? I do not think so because if not you would be reading other type of book. Today is a good day for you and tomorrow will be better if you are able to act (Bucero 2017).
Are you dreaming? I am dreaming very frequently because I strongly believe that I would need to live two hundred years at least to be able to accomplish my dreams, to help more people, to learn more, and to love people more. It is amazing the number of pending things an individual need to do in his or her life. Because of that you need to find out what you want in your life, then prepare a plan and go for it. Easy or difficult? I believe it is up to you. The first step for me is to believe that you can do it, after that you need to prepare a plan and use your passion, persistence, and patience to achieve your goal (Figure 9.1).
Do you think is it too risky? Perhaps it is but you do not know if you are able to do it till you try it. Do not be fear, try it, test it, and you will learn something new, or at least you will know that you cannot because you tried it. Other people are shy trying something new like delivering a talk not in the mother language. You need to try it because that would force you to study more that language, to practice more, to know more, and finally perhaps to talk better and better.
Figure 9.1 Go for it!
Where Are You Going?
After many years as a project management practitioner, I decided to start writing as a project practitioner, then I started writing articles and columns, then papers, and over the years some books. I was very lucky of meeting Randall L. Englund who introduced me some magazine editors, and who taught me how to write in English. I planned for it and I went for it, and over the years I achieved my goals using my 3 Ps. I always had passion for writing and reading so I proposed myself and got it done.
Where are you going? Think about something you want to achieve professionally, gather as much information as possible regarding that, look for a mentor, plan to do it, and finally go for it. Simple but powerful steps to follow. Somebody will ask what happens if you fail in the middle of your path. My answer is that for sure you may fail sometimes, but it will be a great opportunity for you to overcome that obstacle, learn from it, and move forward. Learning from failures has been a constant in my life. I am Spanish (nobody is perfect). So, I really think that everybody could be my teacher. The nature gave us two ears and one mouth, then stop talking too much, listen more and learn more (Figure 9.2).
Figure 9.2 Listen more and learn more
As you probably have read along this book, I am on the path of achieving my PhD but my next pending thing is to become a professional speaker. Even when I am speaking in public very frequently, I did not have the opportunity to be well known in the public speaking business. Then I already took my first steps, knowing more details about that business, obtaining a public speaker certification, and so on. In a couple of years, I want to make my life from speaking engagements so I am preparing a plan for it.
Again, where are you going? Reflect upon that and work on your goal by gathering information, reading about it, looking for contacts, prepare a plan and do it. You are not losing nothing to try it, otherwise you will lose a great opportunity.
Some Suggestions to Take Action
I am a visual person, so I need to imagine (Figure 9.3) my objectives in my mind in order to accomplish them (Bucero 2017). I usually try to visualize positive images in my career and so far, I have achieved most of my goals. There are goals that take more time than others but if you have clear goals and you believe you can achieve them the only thing you need to do is to apply your passion, persistence, and patience.
Let me give you an example. I usually organize professional events in the project management field annually. I proceed as follows:
Figure 9.3 Imagination
• Assess market needs (based on the needs of customers and market to figure out the type of event that may be more attractive).
• Identify the event topic and previous content.
• Visualize in my mind the event success (immediately some names of the experts on the field are coming to my mind).
• Contact the experts to check previous interest in participating and ask for their professional fee.
• Prepare a business case.
• Contact the experts again to get a previous agreement on content and fee (visualize the success of the speakers at the event).
• Search for potential sponsors (selling the idea to sponsors very well is a key successful factor).
• Visualize the success again in my mind.
• Publicize an event data sheet on social media.
• Start the sales and marketing campaign.
Obviously, I am not giving you the complete details but I was just provide you an understanding of the idea that if you believe in your goals and visualize them in your mind, it will help you to create a plan to achieve it. Are you familiar with the following sentence?
“I am too busy. I don’t have the time to act on my goals. Maybe I’ll do later.”
As I have discussed, it is just an obstacle. Luckily for us, that means it is surmountable. The mindset of “I am too busy to focus on my goals” is easily overcome with the help of some inspiration, organization, time management, and action. Of course, positive thinking will help (I believe it always helps!) but focus on doing. That is right. Do. When the busyness of your daily life shuts down the progress you want to make toward your goals, you are stuck in inaction. You are letting your thinking stop you from making progress, taking risks, and working toward dreams-cometrue greatness. Adding more action will amplify your efforts and make the most of all your positive thinking.
Let me share with you nine tips (plus some bonus expertise) to ensure that your busy is bountiful:
1. Do some matchmaking with your actions
I combine exercise and a commute, podcasts and preparing meals, walking while chatting with my folks. I know I write about the importance of focus and not multitasking and being present. However, there are some combinations that will give you lots of energy. You may find that listening to a digital book inspires long, inspirational walks that leave you spiritually and physically lighter.
2. Understand your current patterns
Awareness is power. Think about it. Why don’t you have time? Which habits are distracting and not serving you? How are you spending time in ways that are not supporting your goals? Where are you least productive and most prone to interruptions? And why? Consider tracking your busyness for a day or two to see where you experienced black holes in your time (you know, those minutes or hours that seem to have disappeared).
Now, how can you reframe how you are spending your time? For example, your job might keep you extremely busy, but after examination, you may find opportunities to create and reserve time so you can concentrate on your goals. One of my insights is that as busier I am much more productive I will be.
3. Make the most of little pockets of time
For most of us, it is difficult to find a free hour or two during the day (or night, for that matter) to dedicate to something new. Your “free time” is like an unfinished crossword puzzle. The openings are here and there, and you need to be smart to fill in the open spaces. I have to boast, and I am proactive at this. I even carry around printouts of relevant articles I want to read, so that when I have five or ten minutes to spare, I can dive in and learn. It is like research on the go.
Do not be afraid to break big actions down into small actions. You can carve some unexpected chunks of time out of your day and make the most of each minute. Instead of grumbling about someone being late, think of it as a gift; you now have time to read or learn or make phone calls or develop ideas. Small steps of progress eventually equate to giant leaps closer to your goals. Down one question at a time, which made it easier later. To help set you up for success, write a list of things you can do if you had 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour. Next time you get stuck in a waiting room, you will be ready to jump into action. Please try it! The power in small, deliberate actions is unbelievable!
4. Do not forget to recharge, re-energize and relax
If I have a spare minute, I spend it reenergizing with some dancing, commenting on a blog by someone I admire, connecting with someone on LinkedIn, or giving my partner a one-minute, love-filled hug. Remember, you do not want to become busy being busy. You want to be productive, and you want to take action toward your goals. But you don’t want to overdo it. I would recommend alternating your productive spare moments with breathing and recharging.
5. Find your focus
My business, Bucero PM Consulting, is a perfect example of a side project that has built up momentum with small deliberate steps. A few years ago, I was stuck in inaction with this business. I was paralyzed by too many ideas and no focus. So, I approached a coach for help and asked to set a feeling-based goal to grow Bucero PMConsulting business enjoyably and passionately. My coach, Randy, asked me to “brain dump” all of the options and ideas I had for growing the movement. This really let me capture all my ideas—nearly 50 of them—and get them out of my head and onto paper. Then Randy had me identify which five I would focus on. Just five! I then listed the steps I needed to take for each focus. And when I didn’t know what to do, the action I set was to learn what to do.
Focus was just what I needed. By setting my goal as “passionate and enjoyable,” I took away the urgency or pressure I was feeling about growing the business. Since then, I have launched two sites, multiple products, and spoken at universities and businesses. All thanks to focus.
6. Take 25
One of my favorite tools for maximizing time is the “Pomodoro technique.”1 It’s spending 25 minutes solely focused on a single task. I know what you are thinking: How much can you actually accomplish in 25 minutes? So, I challenge you: Try it. Remember, it’s 25 minutes of uninterrupted productivity focused on one task. It’s not 25 minutes of distracted, disrupted effortless whimsy. Concentrate!
A couple of things happen when you do. You might love it. You might love it so much that you look for more 25-minute opportunities. You may begin to shift your priorities, smash distractions, lose un-serving habits with ease—all because you saw the power of 25 minutes. I look at my own Top Five habit here: Taking a few minutes each day to reflect on positive moments has led to a collection of more than 10,000 positive memories and a movement. Greatness is just 25 minutes away.
7. Balance collecting wisdom with taking action
I look at advice, pearls of wisdom, routines, and tips as being tools. You need these kinds of tools to get the result you want. But not all tools are going to work for you. You just won’t like some of them, some will become uncomfortable as you learn and grow, and others will inspire you to use them again and again. Savor the ones that work, but toss the ones that don’t. Recognize that you can do anything—but not everything. Make sure those any things are making your life better or easier or more satisfying.
8. Reframe the reasons why you are not starting now
It just would not be a blog post from me without a bit of positive thinking. So, here goes: Life has lots of layers and complications and potential distractions. It might be the worst time to do something, or it actually might be the very best time to do it. We often think of reasons not to do something, but what about focusing on all the reasons why you should take action. Sometimes the toughest work is in the thinking—not the actual acting.
9. Set boundaries
When you say yes to yourself and your goals, it means making a commitment to setting some supportive, smart, and exciting boundaries to create space for action. Know what you want, know how far you want to go, how much time you are willing to put in, and know what you are willing to sacrifice (and not sacrifice). When it comes to prioritizing your goals, you are in charge. Make sure you know your limits.
10. Some more tips or suggestions
There is so much enlightening information and expertise about this topic. I wanted to share some of my findings:
• A business coach who was working with one of my teams suggests replacing the word “busy” with “productive.” His change in language is also a good reminder to check in with yourself if you are being busy or productive. It is a subtle shift in language that is both helpful and insightful.
• Check out international business philosopher Jim Rohn’s speech that has been made into a video. It is called “Why Not You,” and it challenges your perceptions of why you are not seizing the day.
People often say that it is not about having time, but about making time. So, let’s make some time. Which of these tips/tools can you take and put into action right now? Come on, go for it!
Develop Your Willingness
According to new research, being motivated to learn new skills is the attribute, executives say, is most critical for employees looking to get ahead (Figure 9.4). Specifically, 30 percent of executives said having a willingness to keep learning is the characteristic they consider most necessary for an employee to succeed, according to the study from the staffing firm Accountemps.
I believe that successful people never stop learning. The world is changing quickly and constantly, and it is vital to stay informed of the latest trends and sought-after skills in your industry. Executives are also placing greater importance on the ability to communicate and get along with others in the workplace. I believe having strong interpersonal skills is critical to an employees’ success.
Being able to adapt easily to change and welcoming increased responsibility were the other top traits the surveyed executives said are necessary for professional advancement. Least important to executives was a willingness to burn the midnight oil. Just 7 percent of those surveyed said working long hours is a necessary success strategy.
Figure 9.4 Develop your willingness
To help project professionals looking to get ahead, I would like to share the following steps:
1. Get involved: Joining industry associations is a good way to learn new skills and keep up-to-date on the trends affecting your profession.
2. Volunteer: Volunteering for a nonprofit organization can help you hone your skills. In addition, these types of experiences provide opportunities for you to grow and learn.
3. Keep learning: Earning an advanced degree or certification is a good way to demonstrate to employers your willingness to continue learning new skills. It also helps cement your expertise within your field.
4. Hone your communication skills: When communicating in the workplace, it is important to observe body language, make eye contact, and listen fully to what the other person is saying. When speaking to important audiences, it can also be helpful to rehearse what you’re going to say. Those who need work on their public speaking should consider joining a professional organization like Toastmasters.
5. Think long term: You always want to be thinking about the big picture. This type of mindset can help you make more strategic decisions and put you in a better position to get ahead.
The study was based on surveys of more than 2,200 chief financial officers from companies in more than twenty of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas.
Willingness Assessment Tool
This is a quick test for you to self-assess your willingness to be an empowering leader, along with a key to interpret your score and decide how to follow up.
Rate yourself on each question on a 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being “Never” and 10 being “Always.” Add the ratings for all questions to get your total empowering leadership score. A perfect score would be 100.
1. Do I believe in people and feel they are an organization’s most appreciable asset? ____
2. Do I feel that team leadership can accomplish more than individual leadership? ____
3. Do I look for potential leaders and quickly assimilate them into the organization? ____
4. Do I desire to raise others above my own level of leadership? ____
5. Do I invest time developing people who have leadership potential? ____
6. Do I enjoy watching others get credit for what I taught them? ____
7. Do I allow others the freedom of personality and process, or do I have to be in control? ____
8. Do I give my influence publicly to potential leaders as much as possible? ____
9. Do I plan to have others take my present position? ____
10. Do I hand the leadership baton off to a teammate and truly root for him or her? ____
• If you scored 100, congratulations! You are an empowering leader. Commit yourself to developing leaders who empower others, as opposed to only developing followers:
Identify potential leaders
Assess their leadership talents and learning style preferences
Develop a plan for their growth
• If you scored 90 to 99, give yourself a pat on the back. You are well on your way to becoming an empowering leader. Focus on your weakest area of development. Develop a plan addressing only that skill set. Include:
Reading leadership articles/books specific to your area of development
Keep a journal of weekly activity toward improvement
Work with a mentor
• Reassess your rating in six months
• If you scored 75 to 90, you have built the foundation of effective leadership. Examine areas where you need to strengthen. Focus on your two weakest areas of development plus one area of strength. Develop a growth plan for each of the three areas, with specific milestones, to include:
Selected readings focused on leadership and growth
Three activities per week in which you specifically address each of the three areas
Meeting with a mentor monthly, to keep you accountable to your growth plan
• Reassess your rating in three months.
• If you scored 50 to 74, you are doing okay as a leader, but you have the potential to do much better. Focus on two strength areas plus one of your areas of development. Develop a growth plan, with the help of your supervisor, for each of the three areas that includes:
Selected readings on leadership and growth
Three activities per week in which you specifically address each of the three areas
Meeting with your supervisor weekly to assess your progress and keep you accountable to your growth plan
• Reassess your rating in three months
• If you scored below 50, you have a lot of work to do as a leader. The good news is you can practice these skills at work, at home and in the community. Identify your career aspirations and determine where you want to be in the next 12
to 36 months. Do your aspirations include a role as a single contributor or a leadership position?
Develop a career development plan with your supervisor that is focused on your career aspirations.
• Reassess your rating in 12 months
Chapter Summary
From the ideas, best practices and concepts covered in this chapter, please select the ones who may help you to move forward:
• The first step for me is to believe that you can do it; after that you need to prepare a plan and use your passion, persistence, and patience to achieve your goal.
• Reflect upon that and work on your goal by gathering information, reading about it, looking for contacts, prepare a plan, and do it. You are not losing nothing to try it; otherwise you will lose a great opportunity.
• The mindset of “I am too busy to focus on my goals” is easily overcome with the help of some inspiration, organization, time management, and action. Of course, positive thinking will help.
• Do some matchmaking with your actions, understand your current patterns, make the most of little pockets of time, do not forget to recharge, re-energize and relax, find your focus.
• Balance wisdom with taking actions.
• People often say that it is not about having time, but about making time. So, let’s make some time.
• Get involved, be a volunteer, keep learning, improve your communication skills, and think a long term.
• Assess your willingness and take an action plan to improve.
Dream more and go for it! You can do it because you are excellent, you can do it only if you believe you can.
Reference
Bucero, A. 2017. Tomorrow Will Be Better: Maintaining a Positive Attitude for Project. Motivational Press.
1 There are six steps in the original technique:
1. Decide on the task to be done.
2. Set the pomodoro timer (traditionally to 25 minutes).
3. Work on the task.
4. End work when the timer rings and put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
5. If you have fewer than four checkmarks, take a short break (3–5 minutes), then go to step 2.
Pomodoro Technique: Wikipedia