The One Thing That STUNTS Your Growth In Life & Business
If there’s an infinite amount of information everywhere, why do we often feel stuck in our business?
Sure, we can keep on talking about new information every week. I can also help you think about the backend of your business. Setting the terms with your clients, closing more deals for higher dollars, or creating a “content machine” to attract potential clients.
But here’s what I noticed as a coach to more than 2,783 Custom Home Builders on Facebook: Most of us are having trouble when it comes to implementing all the information we are bombarded with.
Frankly, that means it’s not about the tactics and the strategies. It’s about us. In other words, we’re getting in our own way because of our habits.
Here are a few common bad habits we have (and how to solve them):
The #1 Killer Of Dreams: Procrastination
Every single one of us procrastinates to some degree. If we could just stop procrastinating, we could be so much further than where we are right now. Almost every day, we:
- Procrastinate on getting that quote done
- Procrastinate on following up with a client
- Procrastinate on finishing up loose ends of a project
If we don’t fix this, what will happen in 1–2 years?
We let warm leads turn into cold ones, and then we get ghosted. Clients are not happy with our service because of the delays. The bits and pieces of the project that are left unfinished affect our reputation.
We get fewer referrals from existing clients. Even if there are new opportunities, we may have to say “no” because “we can’t handle extra work” — when we actually have time, but we’re not using it efficiently.
So, what to do? We want to get to a place where we can continue taking on BIGGER and BETTER projects. That way, we can start making progress and momentum towards our dreams.
So what can we do to actually STOP procrastinating?
3 Ways to Stop Procrastination in its Tracks
Do it now. If you ask yourself, “Will it get easier over time?” The answer is likely “no.” Instead, it will probably get harder because 1) you’re tired and exhausted after procrastinating, 2) you have to finish it in a rush. Frankly, there’s no magic pill to this.
Delegate it now. If you’re not the one who has to do it, delegate it. Follow up with the employee who’s responsible for the task. Ask for an update. Establish a deadline.
Schedule it now. Occasionally, we’re not free to do or delegate it now. But we want to stop putting it off over and over again. What we can do instead is to schedule it into our calendar. So nothing can get in our way.
Time Equals Life: The Habit Of Wasting Hours
It may seem like we’re busy all day, every day…
But quite honestly, we tend to waste hours during the day mindlessly. We run and chase things that don’t matter in the long run. The same problems repeat themselves over and over again.
We’re always putting out fires instead of preventing them. It’s a feeling like we can’t get away from our business. And here we are one year later, still in the exact same place.
Keeping ourselves busy is easy. Gaining focus is HARD. Focusing on the RIGHT thing is even harder. But you and I know we want to achieve the “Double F” (Fortune AND Freedom), so we have the time to enjoy the wealth.
And to achieve that, we have to be laser-focused to head in the right direction.
Cultivating Focus
Plan out your week. At the end of the week, spend 15 minutes writing down the things you’re going to do for the next week (right before you go to sleep). Think about the one or two needle-movers in your business…things that will move you and your business forward significantly. Those are your focus for the next week.
Plan out your day. Every night, spend a little time brainstorming the next day. It’s similar to planning out your week. The difference is to keep the needle-movers in your mind. Ask, “What should you do tomorrow to get those done by the end of this week?” That’s your main focus tomorrow.
These things compounded over time are what’s going to make the difference.
The Catastrophe Of The Information Age: Mindless Consumption
Internet addiction is a real thing. If you’re on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok, you can lose minutes and hours real fast.
In other words, we tend to watch stuff that’s not going to help us. First off, it distracts us from the needle-movers. And second, it rewires our brain to give in to temptations when the work becomes hard.
The famous author of How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie, once said, “Change your thoughts, change your life.” By changing the things we consume, we’re changing our thinking and ultimately making a positive change in our lives.
Here’s what we can do. Pay attention to someone you admire. Listen to their podcast. Watch their videos. Ask for their book recommendations. Find out their mentors or coaches. Repeat the same thing. Now you can learn from a group of people who are more successful than you — and that’s the fastest way to grow.
How To Start Fixing OTHER Bad Habits That I Have
Those are all the common bad habits we usually have. But deep down, I know there’s more to that. To find out what else is holding us back, think about a typical day in your life. There’s always a big habit that you know you should avoid. Something that you haven’t been able to deal with.
You can ask yourself questions like:
- What are the bad habits that are getting in my way?
- How is this affecting my life and business?
- What do I have to gain to replace that bad habit with something positive?
Let me use the example of procrastination that we talked about just now.
To answer the questions, “It often took me longer than usual to get quotes done and send them to prospects. In most cases, I’d probably be ghosted, even if I followed up a few times. I’ve been losing opportunities that I could’ve secured because of procrastination. I have to gain the ability to do things NOW to get rid of that bad habit.”
If you start asking these questions, I guarantee you’ll gain clarity in your life and business. And I urge you to do that as soon as possible. If you’re not changing right now, what’s going to be different in the next six months?
Now, if you want more golden nuggets like:
- How to break through the invisible ceilings in your business
- The concept of “Two Millimeter Shifts” by Tony Robbins
- Consistency is important. But how can we be more consistent?
Check out the full podcast episode I recorded for you (The Enemy Within). See you there.
