When I plan my goals, I always have too many.
I have to force myself to delete some.
Why?
We’re afraid of missing out, of not doing enough, and, on paper, we want to improve everything.
But that doesn’t serve us.
In my “Leadership Acceleration” coaching program.
I ask leaders to choose ONE improvement goal for 6 to 12 months.
It’s hard to accept choosing just one.
After 6 to 12 months, I ask their stakeholders to anonymously assess their progress on the chosen goal, but also on their overall leadership. And every time it’s the same. The leader has made a giant leap on both.
Less is more: why?
Because when we focus on one thing, it impacts everything else. We’re less scattered.
We develop our concentration on the subject, and it ripples into our other behaviors.
And the same goes for our personal projects.
The book “The 80/20 Principle” made a big impression on me. Author Richard Koch reminds us of the Pareto principle. 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts.
The legend says that before publishing Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling was a single mother living on welfare. She concentrated on writing her first book, refusing to be distracted by other projects. This focus has enabled her to create one of the most popular book series of all time and to become one of the richest women in the world.
You don’t have to become a legend like J.K. Rowling to use this approach. We can all do it with our own projects.
A Counterintuitive Strategy
At the beginning of 2024, I decided to learn German. (go from B1.1 to C1.1, my strategy here)
This goal was in competition with many others. And I struggled to prioritize it.
But I also knew (unfortunately from experience) that if I didn’t focus on it, I wouldn’t realize it…
Less is More: What’s Interesting
My focus on German is helping me progress on many other projects.
I’m creating more this year than I ever imagined.
How to Plan Less and Achieve More?
Take the time to prioritize.
It’s easier to list and keep everything. But it’s not effective.
Take the time to cut, cut, cut. And decide on the priority objective.
How do you know you’re in the right place? You’ve cut so much that it’s scary.
Decide. You’re unlikely to go wrong.
I hadn’t anticipated that focusing on German would also allow me to redesign my website, finalize my PCC certification, make progress at chess, and be well on my way to doubling my coaching income….
Focusing on one thing develops your character. Your character helps you move forward on everything else.
German gave me a reason to get up earlier. Doing so helps me achieve more important things during the day.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to improve a behavior or launch a personal project…succeeding in focusing on less is a key to doing more.
It’s scary, it’s counterintuitive…
And that’s why it’s worth trying. 😊
What will you do in your next quarter to plan less and achieve more?
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