This week I had one of those "blinding flashes of the
obvious" - times when something jumps up and I laugh at
myself for not having seen what's been in front of me all
along. Here's the distinction I finally "got":
"We don't need more good ideas; we need better execution of
the ideas we already have!"
I was talking with a member of my Mastermind group about
where we get our best ideas. We talked about marketing
experts, about websites and technology resources, about all
the books we've read. It was a wonderful discussion, but I
started getting restless because the list seemed endless.
Finally, I got that flash of the obvious! We already have
LOTS of pretty good ideas! They may not be the most
brilliant or best ideas in the world, but they aren't
totally stupid, either! Fundamentally, I pretty much know
what I "ought" to be doing. The problem is not with getting
more and better ideas. The problem is in the execution.
The problem, as always, is GETTING STUFF DONE!
Many people are familiar with the distinction that
perfection is often the enemy of excellence. In trying to
do something "perfectly" we procrastinate. We wait until we
have all the information and all the tools we might need,
and as a result the job never gets done at all! The
objective for most projects is not perfection, but
excellence.
Here's another distinction that is similar, but as far as I
know, it's original with me: "Best practices" are often
the enemy of "good enough" practices!
In trying to find out how the experts do things, and
modeling ourselves after the most effective people in our
industry or profession, too often we end up never getting
started.
Yes, of course, we want to be smart and efficient and use
the best techniques we can find. Of course we want to be
"ahead of the curve"; there's nothing wrong with that! (I
am certainly a fan of education and learning and coaching!)
But sometimes looking for the "BEST" simply becomes an
excuse to avoid getting started.
Most of the time, I know the next step. Most of the time, I
have an idea about how to proceed. Most of the time, I KNOW
what I need to do!
Only rarely do I truly need new ideas or expert advice
before I can take the next step. Only rarely must I read a
book or find the perfect website in order to get started.
Most of the time what I really need is to take what I
already know, add a bit of time and effort (usually called
"work"), and GET STARTED!
I believe it is Tony Robbins who says that EVERY action
gets some kind of result and that even inefficient action
will eventually get positive results. Of course, we want to
be as smart and productive as possible - no one argues
about that - but often the key to achievement is not a new
tool or better information or superior talent. Often the
key to achievement is simply using what we have and out-
working the competition.
This week, start wherever you are, with whatever you've
got, and DO something with it! If you can do something
brilliant that's wonderful, but get started! And if you
can't do something brilliant, then just "keep on keeping
on." One day at a time, step by step, do what you can and
repeat it until you reach the top of the mountain, until
that wonderful day when your friends wake up and are amazed
at how "lucky" you are!
obvious" - times when something jumps up and I laugh at
myself for not having seen what's been in front of me all
along. Here's the distinction I finally "got":
"We don't need more good ideas; we need better execution of
the ideas we already have!"
I was talking with a member of my Mastermind group about
where we get our best ideas. We talked about marketing
experts, about websites and technology resources, about all
the books we've read. It was a wonderful discussion, but I
started getting restless because the list seemed endless.
Finally, I got that flash of the obvious! We already have
LOTS of pretty good ideas! They may not be the most
brilliant or best ideas in the world, but they aren't
totally stupid, either! Fundamentally, I pretty much know
what I "ought" to be doing. The problem is not with getting
more and better ideas. The problem is in the execution.
The problem, as always, is GETTING STUFF DONE!
Many people are familiar with the distinction that
perfection is often the enemy of excellence. In trying to
do something "perfectly" we procrastinate. We wait until we
have all the information and all the tools we might need,
and as a result the job never gets done at all! The
objective for most projects is not perfection, but
excellence.
Here's another distinction that is similar, but as far as I
know, it's original with me: "Best practices" are often
the enemy of "good enough" practices!
In trying to find out how the experts do things, and
modeling ourselves after the most effective people in our
industry or profession, too often we end up never getting
started.
Yes, of course, we want to be smart and efficient and use
the best techniques we can find. Of course we want to be
"ahead of the curve"; there's nothing wrong with that! (I
am certainly a fan of education and learning and coaching!)
But sometimes looking for the "BEST" simply becomes an
excuse to avoid getting started.
Most of the time, I know the next step. Most of the time, I
have an idea about how to proceed. Most of the time, I KNOW
what I need to do!
Only rarely do I truly need new ideas or expert advice
before I can take the next step. Only rarely must I read a
book or find the perfect website in order to get started.
Most of the time what I really need is to take what I
already know, add a bit of time and effort (usually called
"work"), and GET STARTED!
I believe it is Tony Robbins who says that EVERY action
gets some kind of result and that even inefficient action
will eventually get positive results. Of course, we want to
be as smart and productive as possible - no one argues
about that - but often the key to achievement is not a new
tool or better information or superior talent. Often the
key to achievement is simply using what we have and out-
working the competition.
This week, start wherever you are, with whatever you've
got, and DO something with it! If you can do something
brilliant that's wonderful, but get started! And if you
can't do something brilliant, then just "keep on keeping
on." One day at a time, step by step, do what you can and
repeat it until you reach the top of the mountain, until
that wonderful day when your friends wake up and are amazed
at how "lucky" you are!
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