This (simple) Distinction Can Make The Difference Between Success Or Failure For Your Projects…

I am regular, but I am not progressing anymore…

A few days ago, I celebrated my 2250 days in Duolingo 😀

I’ve been doing a language exercise every day for almost 7 years.

And yet, for at least two years, I’ve not progressed on my German.

Discouraging?

No, because I have to be honest with myself. I’m not making progress because I’m not making “deliberative learning.” (A theory clearly explained in the book Peak by Anders Ericsson, )

I’m just maintaining a “streak.”

There is a big difference between maintenance activity and deliberate efforts to make progress.

Not making this difference exposes you to constant frustration and the risk of abandoning projects.

The reality.

Your activities are not in line with your objectives. But you can change that.

How?

By being clear at the start.

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

5 (simple) steps to complete your projects and progress

1/ Define or review your goals.

Each to his approach. Mine is a long view that makes me dream and a short one that pushes me to progress or maintain.

Let’s say I want to become completely bilingual in German. So much so that a native speaker wouldn’t even recognize my French accent. 😀This is a great ambition.

Let’s take a 10-year horizon. That gives me 40 quarters to work on this goal. Each quarter represents 2.5% of the time available to achieve my dream.

2/90 days focus

It’s a short period of time to stay focused. Long enough to achieve something.

When you plan, you get greedy. When we execute, we tend to become frugal.

It’s good to be reminded of this in the preparation phase. My recommendation: no more than 5 targets in a quarter.

3/Label your 5 projects

In this first quarter of 2023 and for a much longer period, German is in maintenance mode for me. Between Duolingo and LIngQ I spend 15 minutes a day.

I can’t expect to make a breakthrough. But I stay in touch with the overall goal of becoming bilingual by maintaining it.

Difference between a quarter where German is in “progress” mode or “maintenance.”

Maintenance:

• Duolingo : every day between 3 and 10 minutes
• LingQ : every day between 3 and 10 min

Progression:

• Duolingo : every day between 15 and 30 minutes
  • I write down important words in my review file. (Anki)
  • I write down the sentences that I have trouble with.
  • I repeat all the sentences orally.

• LingQ : every day between 15 and 30 min
  • I read longer.
  • I import a book that I read in parallel in German on my Kindle and review it in LingQ.
• I work 2*30 minutes a week with a teacher. (Italki)
• I read all my books in German. (even if I don’t understand everything) atomic habits
• I listen to my podcasts in German.
• I write in my diary in German and correct with a tool like LanguageTool
• I make an effort to meet people who speak German.
• I use other tools. Assimil

So, of course, in the quarters I used this method, I made significant breakthroughs. (How To Learn A New Language With A Full Time Job?)

4/ Execute

Once you are clear on your goals (progression or maintenance), you have to execute.

I like the “Agenda” method. What’s in is done, and what’s not has less chance. How Do You (finally) Focus On Things That Really Matter?

Block out quality time in advance (especially if you are in progression mode) to complete your plan.

5/ Review

At the end of the 90 days, review your progress. In his book The Gap and The Gain, Dan Sullivan makes an interesting distinction. Review the gain or the gap?

We naturally compare ourselves to the gap, but the gain motivates us to prepare for our next 90-day period and persevere.

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

Let’s take my example of German.

Suppose I review it in relation to my dream of becoming completely bilingual. I might be disappointed.😞. But if I compare myself to the beginning of the 90 days, I gained a lot 😀

• 90 days *15 min equals more than 20 hours of German.
• I’ve been in contact with hundreds of new words.
• I’ve reinforced my “regularity” by practicing every day. It positively impacts my confidence and gives me the courage to take action on other projects.
• I am still on track for my goal of “becoming bilingual.”

Clarity avoids frustration and brings more results.

• The long-term projection (10/25 years) motivates you (I know where I want to go) and calms you down. (I’ve time to do it.)
• The short-term (90-day) projection helps you focus and execute part of the plan. (maintenance or progression)
• Reviewing the gain and not the gap gives you that good feeling and encourages you to continue.

Stop being frustrated, get clearer, and make all your dreams come true, one quarter at a time.

Which project will you review today to bring more clarity?

Books to go further

• The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months
• Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs
• The 25-Year Framework: Your 21st-century entrepreneurial mindset for continually slowing down time while speeding up your progress over a 25-year period

Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 other ways I can help accelerate your growth through coaching :

• You are an individual: You have a bias for action. You’ve achieved a lot. And yet you want more. Let’s connect for a free call and see if we can work together 
• You want to be coached in your work environment.  I help successful leaders become even better. And you pay me only if you succeed (yes, I’m serious). Curious? Learn more here.