Motivation

I’m back again writing another article based on the wisdom I’ve gained from Jeff Haden’s amazing book, “The Motivation Myth.” If you missed my previous article, you can read it here.

This concept is not a new or revolutionary one, but it still strikes me as important given our world today.

Haden reminds us that there are no shortcuts to success. These days, we’re all obsessed with “hacks,” those tiny tricks to make life and work easier. These little gimmicks tell us we can reduce the time and effort it takes to achieve our goals by doing one ridiculously simple thing.

But, according to the author, there is no way to shortcut complex things, like learning a new skill or achieving a large goal. There is no substitute for time and effort. “Hacks” only work for simple tasks. Need an easy trick to organize your workspace fast? No problem. But you can’t rely on that kind of thing when your goal is to achieve a promotion or master a new software system.

So many of us are impatient—I know I am! And we all want things to be easy. After all, we have a lot on our plates and only so much time, energy and attention to distribute around.

When it comes to achieving goals, we have to be careful about these natural tendencies. Impatience, to a certain degree, can help light a fire under us. And of course, we want to use our resources wisely. But these feelings can also be counterproductive.

We have to be realistic about how long things will take, and we have to be honest about the effort required. We can’t buy into the idea that there’s a way to cheat the system. There isn’t. Believing some secret passageway exists and all we have to do is find it will only set us up for disappointment.  [Read more…] about There Are No Shortcuts to Success

I’m currently listening to the book, “The Motivation Myth” by Jeff Haden. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s been incredibly motivating! I’m only about halfway through and, already, I can confidently say it’s one of the best books I’ve read on the topic of goal achievement. If you’ve set some lofty goals this year (whether personal or professional) and you’re struggling to make headway, consider this book a “must read.”

Over the next few weeks, I anticipate that I’ll write several articles based on what I’m learning. Today, I want to share with you a main premise of the book. This is a concept I have long understood intuitively, and perhaps you have too. But the way it’s described in the book really resonates for me.

According to the author, the secret to getting and staying motivated is simple: Break a sweat (literally or figuratively).

Essentially, he’s saying that action is the key. With action, you earn small successes, which motivate you to keep going. [Read more…] about The Secret to Motivation

The sad news came out earlier today that author and personal development guru, Stephen Covey, passed away.

If you’re not familiar with him, Mr. Covey is probably best known for his work, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” which sold 20 million copies and is commonly referred to as the most influential book for businesses. This is a book I’ve used in my coaching and training for years and it’s also a personal favorite. If you’ve never read it and don’t have the inclination to do so, the Wall Street Journal did a great, very brief overview of it here. However, I strongly recommend you take the time to read the whole book. Then re-read it. Then dissect it. And re-read it again.

That’s how important I believe this book is.

Mr. Covey authored many other bestselling books on personal and professional development and was also one of the founders of FranklinCovey, the company that creates some of the best time management and organizational products and training programs around.

In short, Mr. Covey was exceptionally successful, globally influential and a mentor to many. When we talk about the people who have shaped our lives, Mr. Covey’s name is frequently mentioned. He lived a great life from what I can tell. I say that as an outsider looking in, so I could very well be wrong. But he certainly contributed to the world in a big way. He touched a lot of people.

He will be sorely missed by people like me—people who are always striving to achieve more, to grow, and to find the best of themselves in every day life. He brought many new and exciting ideas to the mainstream. He changed the lives of millions of people, including me. And through me, he will continue to change lives.

So let’s honor him by doing great things with the short time we have on this planet. Let’s put our big ideas out there. Let’s aim to always be growing and learning. Let’s never settle for low expectations. Let’s use our time wisely, as he did.

More importantly, let’s live like highly effective people. That’s his legacy, after all.