Posted by JuJuan Buford @JSBUFORD
How many times throughout the week, or day for that matter have you thought to yourself, I don’t have enough time? We’ve all been there. You get caught up in feelings about seemingly never getting enough done, failing to make enough progress, and the anxiety of whether you’re waking up early enough despite a 5:00am alarm setting. And at some point, in an effort to right the ship you may do a deep dive into time management apps, strategies and devices, or the latest greatest hack.
And in a couple of months, if not weeks later, you’re feeling deflated again because the same issue keeps rearing its ugly, strength sapping head. Once again, you’re feeling like there is never enough time in the day. At its worst, these feelings eat away at your confidence; you may begin to compare yourself to others, and even question whether you deserve your current lot in life.
Here’s the thing. Time management is an oxymoron. We all have the same 24 hours in the day, and time is the great equalizer. You can’t buy more time, change it, manage it, or bargain with it. So, what are people doing differently, who seem to have their stuff together?
The difference of course, is the value we pour into each hour. But what does that really mean?
Value = Our self concept determines how we carry ourselves and what our priorities are; in turn dictating what we do or behaviors we consistently exhibit with the time we have; and when we master our behaviors and align them with our priorities that’s when the magic happens.
But that’s easier said than done. And if you’re still left scratching your head about what to do next, here are a couple recommendations to help re-calibrate some things, find new energy and rekindle your passions, and stop falling into time management trap.
NETWORK & SPEND TIME WITH OTHER ENTREPRENEURS
Entrepreneurship is hard. Especially in the beginning, because you’re going to have to expend a lot of energy and do some things that you’re not going to be compensated for, in order to be compensated for things you no longer have to do in the future. It’s the ugly duckling stage of your business.
As an entrepreneur you’re swimming against the tide. 98% of the people you encounter aren’t committed to financial independence and being the captains of their own ships. They’re interested in being accommodated, renting their lifestyles, and taking as many steak, egg, and grape juice selfies on Instagram as possible. In other words, they don’t want the things you want, and if you’re about being an entrepreneur, you more than likely want (and you're willing to sacrifice for) different things than everyone else.
Join an organization, chamber of commerce, or networking initiative that puts you in the room with entrepreneurs that are leveling up. Ask questions. Learn from their triumphs and failures. Be open to constructive criticism from others who are playing the same game. Network and build relationships with people who have your solutions, not your problems.
next opportunity social might be a good place to start. Wink.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS A TOOL. YOU DON’T LIVE AND WIN THERE.
Every time you find yourself drifting onto some social media site for a momentary (it always lasts longer than its supposed to) excursion, instead identify a podcast or video featuring content that will help you along your entrepreneurial journey. Don’t be too finicky. I personally listen to podcasts and consume content from real estate investors, anything and everything Warren Buffet, Robert Kiyosaki, Grant Cardone, Viceland with John Henry, YAP, Side Hustle Nation, etc., etc.,
When you discover entrepreneurs who are enjoying the success you’re pursuant upon, eat the fruit and spit out the seed. Consume what’s for you, and dispense the rest. At the end of the day the game is the game. Define your value prop, invite people to learn about it, lean in and ask them to make a buying decision, service them very well, and rinse and repeat. Some of the most effective tactics I employ today, were a result of listening to or observing others.
READ A BOOK. LEADERS ARE READERS.
Be voracious about consuming content that will make you a better communicator, better at understanding arbitrage, more empathetic, edify your self concept, and feed your strengths. The super-majority of successful, elite entrepreneurs who are at the top of their game read two to four hours daily. You don’t have time you say…. You don’t have time not too. Don’t be the entrepreneur that spends three years learning something, that a book could teach you in a couple hours.
I’m going to step aside, for Grant Cardone to speak with you:
&
Russell Sarder:
3 THINGS BEFORE YOU LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN TO SLEEP
Write down the top three (if you’re just getting started) or five tasks whereas if you accomplished them tomorrow, would make the biggest difference in your life. This exercise is useful because it will force you to really take inventory of what priorities are most important to you, as opposed to being directed by everyone else’s agenda.
Don’t write down ten items because even if you accomplish 4 of them, you’ll still feel some kind of way about yourself. Also, when making substantive changes in your life you want your focus to be less like a light bulb, whereas your energies are being dispersed everywhere. You want to be like a laser emitting concentrated energy to pulverize the obstacles in your way.
Also, consider for a moment. If you write down three items on your priority list and you accomplish two of them, that’s a winning percentage. If you write down five tasks and accomplish three or four of them psychologically you’re still winning. Even if you had 100 other items on the to do list, you still moved the ball forward by addressing the things that mattered most to you. Momentum is a game of building on small victories that increasingly feed your confidence.
You’re not going to get this exercise right in the beginning. Think about it like starting a new exercise routine. It hurts some in the beginning because you’re using muscles that you may not have used frequently before, if at all. However, after a week, three weeks, or three months later this evening routine will become as habitual as walking. You’ll measure your productivity based on how effectively you’ve addressed the things that matter most to you; welcoming the sense of achievement you’re enjoying, and begin to get excited about tackling increasingly more difficult (profitable) goals.
JuJuan Buford is a Detroit native, entrepreneur, business development professional, and writer dedicated to helping families, entrepreneurs, and business owners establish thriving enterprises, achieve financial independence, and build lives of satisfaction.
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