How to launch and succeed in a project that is close to your heart?

We all have projects we want to achieve. They are part of our journey to happiness. Sometimes we pretend that we don’t. Most likely because we don’t spend enough time with ourselves, so we can’t recognize them. But they are all around us. Take the time to listen to them, and you’ll be amazed and inspired by your dreams.

Why launch a project that is close to your heart?

Starting a new project has a leverage effect. It’s a creative cooperation with yourself and the people around you. The results are often above expectations.

How to launch a successful project?

When I participated in an Ironman competition, it had a ripple effect on many aspects of my life.

At work, since I have to deal with a hectic executive agenda and many hours of training, I learned to delegate more and improved my organizational skills.

My consistency, self-discipline, and persistence improved, helping me in many other areas of my life. I followed a vegan diet for nearly two years. I developed better sleeping habits.

Five years later, apart from the satisfaction of succeeding in the intent, I’m still reaping the benefits of these decisions and the changes they brought.

And the positive effects are not only for you. One of my life goals is to inspire people around me. Leading by example is a well-known concept.

Think about the projects you have accomplished. Try to remember where your first inspiration came from. You will always find someone or something that ignites the passion in you.
So by doing the work, creating a project, you inspire people around you.

I ran my Ironman when I was 40, and the inspiration first came from an article I read in a newspaper when I was 18. Then, I thought I’d do it when in between two jobs. But this occasion never came.
Instead, I saw a colleague in charge of a huge division, preparing and succeeding to participate in an Ironman. I had no more excuses. He inspired me, and I dived in.

Connect to your dreams, search for inspiration in people who have already done it, and push the button. 

How shall I start?

It all comes down to four leading principles:

Define your Big Picture.

“Don’t start negatively, and don’t start small. People will often focus on little details as a way of masking a lack of any clear, coherent, big thoughts. If you start petty, you seem petty.”―Robert Iger.
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons in Creative Leadership from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

People often start their explanation of a story or a project from the small details. This shows a lack of clarity, and they lose the attention of their audience. On the contrary, pay attention to what captures your thought during a presentation, a conversation, or while you’re reading a book.
Most of the time, you’re caught on the big picture.

You need the same thing for your mind. “Begin With the End in Mind” (habit 2), without searching the “how” too much, at first.

When you understand and see your own big picture, prioritize and organize your projects. See “How to build your life plan?

Execution

 “How you handle your own time is, in my view, the single most important aspect of being a role model and a leader.”―Andrew S. Grove.
High Output Management

Sometimes we consider time management skills to be simple, or we think that we were born with these and they can’t be improved. I trust we underestimate the power of managing our time well. In today’s world, where there are so many distractions, it’s impossible to live our dreams without thinking and working on how we manage our time.
On paper, it’s deceptively easy.

• Build your big picture.
• Prioritize the first projects you want to do.
• Block time in your agenda.
• Execute.

In reality, it’s far from being simple, but it’s worth spending time on it to get it right.

Discover my Resource guide: The 11 books that have influenced my career the most. (Including my favorite of all categories)

Consistency.

“Routine sets you free.” ―Verne Harnish

When you start to execute, consistency will do the rest. Routines are the best tool to help here.

Build an intentional routine where you dedicate time to your projects.
I usually set a one-year deadline for my projects and dedicate 30 minutes every day in my morning routine.
And even with just 30 minutes of laser focus per day, I achieved many of my dreams.

This blog is one of them. I dedicate more time to this blog on weekends. That’s the beauty of a “tiny commitment”. When I commit to spending 30 minutes per day on it, I start to enjoy, and it develops naturally. See the book “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything“.

Manage your expectations

“There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations” ― Jodi Picoult,

It’s not really what you do/don’t do, it’s more about your interpretation of it that will lead you to abandon or persevere. Accepting the reality of your starting point and recognizing your progress and difficulties will be essential for your success.
Every creation around you went through plateau and regression phases at specific points. That’s the reason why going after our dreams is fulfilling.
Get over the obstacles, and you get much more than the temporary pleasure of watching a Netflix series.

Does it really work?
Following this process, I achieved many projects that were close to my heart in different ways. 

Physical: I have run marathons, a 100 km race, an Ironman, I go to sleep earlier, and eat better.
Intellectual: I’ve read more than 300 books, learned 3 new languages, reached financial independence, grown from Sales to C level jobs…

There is no limit to it. And when you start you don’t feel the constraints, you feel the excitement to live your life on your own terms.

What is my next goal?
My next goal is related to this blog.
In 2021, I want to dedicate a year (on the side of my full-time job) to improve my English writing skills.
Why? I learned English as an adult. I want to share my knowledge, and I have chosen to do so through this blog, in English.
I want to try this experience, and see if 30 minutes per day for one year (my focus time in my morning routine) can have an impact.
And you readers can become the witnesses of this experience 🙂 . The starting point is my first article on this site.

What is your next project?