Ever had one of those days when you notice that the only thing stopping you is you?!

One of the biggest assets for entrepreneurs and business leaders is the ability to silence self doubt and globalising, test assumptions & the like

The biggest win is often between the ears.

As a dominant visually wired guy, I have found my “portfolio of evidence” to be helpful for these moments.

The portfolio documents photos of wins, when I overcame (predominantly mental) obstacles that were a stretch or a fear.

The photos could be compiled in an album, or a slideshow or they may be displayed on a pin board in your strategy room.

The evidence will shut up those doubtful questions with definite proof that you can because you have!

It may be a captured moment of a presentation where you nailed it or when you closed a deal. On a personal level, you may have built or cooked something for the first time.

What story do you need to remind yourself of?

How can you capture it for the future?

Let the memorials spur us on, but may they spur us on to even greater endeavours so we don’t rely on the old stories or trophies like Al

Four touchdowns in one game!

Keep writing stories.

Keep creating portfolio volumes.

Anyone working building an online business is certainly looking for ways to get the most done in the shortest period of time. And one of the most common traits people pick up is multitasking. Seems logical, do more at once – get more done. However . . .

The productivity of multitasking is a myth! Many think that multitasking is necessary in this day with how busy our lives are today. But the interesting thing is that our mind still works the same way it did 500 years ago. The advent of the computer chip has not changed the way the human mind functions. Marketer Glenn Hopkins just put out a video talking about the perils of multitasking which is brilliant!

Why? Because the human mind can really only do one thing at a time. Believe me, do the research yourself if you want, you’ll find it. So, what actually happens when we multitask it our mind jumps quickly from one task or topic to another and back and forth. Now this may seem fine on the surface because it appears that you are able to maintain all the activities together, but are you?

There are two main issues with multitasking that greatly relate to your overall effectiveness.

First:

The time it actually takes to accomplish a task increases. You can look at this in two scenarios.

Short cycling: When you flip from one thing to another rapidly you are actually wasting time with a natural brain function every time you do. Every time you change your focus, there is a little time required for your mind to kind of catch up and reorient itself to what you want to do. So, if you are changing your focus every 10 minutes your mind requires this reorientation time every 10 minutes. Now this may seem inconsequential but it adds up, particularly when you couple it with the second issue.

Long Cycling: When you work for longer periods of time between switching tasks but before completing them, which is what Glenn addresses in his video, you are extending the point of completion of all tasks. As Glenn indicated, if one task is key to your business such as generating income, you are just delaying that from occurring.

Another aspect of this delaying to consider is motivation and frustration. The sooner you realize that even a small positive result the better you feel about what you are doing. This long cycling many would not consider multitasking but it is as it also reduces your productivity and satisfaction. Frustration arises when you are doing one thing and thinking you should be doing another. This can be common when multitasking too much.

Second:

The depth of your focus suffers affecting your results greatly. When you are multitasking, your mind is not really fully engaged in any one topic, you are actually just skimming the surface. Think about this, when you have gone into deep contemplation with an idea, are you thinking about three other things, no. And isn’t this the kind of thinking where you are able to get deeper into a subject, understanding the nuances and detail, and where your intuition starts kicking out new, fresh and clever ideas?

These things I just mentioned are not going on when you are multitasking! This state of light focus contributes to feelings of confusion and to a reduced ability to focus on anything for long periods of time. Your dominant behavior dictates your mental habits.

You will not perform as well at anything when you are not properly focused, you can’t. You’re brain is not completely intimate with the one subject. You are literally just skimming the surface of what is possible when you are not focused. As Glenn says, “it reduces your IQ”. Well, it doesn’t reduce your potential IQ, but it does reduce your functional IQ when you don’t allow your brain to become intimate with a subject.

So to combine the two issues on just one point, every time you are changing topics your brain needs a moment to reorient. Now, the shorter the time you spend with a topic the less able your mind is to get deep into focus as it should for full performance. Have you ever skipped a rock across the surface of a lake, watching it bounce off the surface several times? That is what your brain is doing when you are multitasking, skipping across the surface.

Here is the Zen of it. As the rock only fully understands it is a rock when allowed to sink into the water, so is it with your thoughts.

Focus works, it’s how work, or anything, should be done.
Focus is mental intimacy, multi-tasking is uncommitted.

So how does one change, you must break the habit of multitasking through better planning and scheduling of your time. There are things that must be done each day and there are longer-term projects to weave together which is why it’s so easy to fall into multitasking. Only you can find the right balance between your different tasks, but keeping in mind what is actually happening with multitasking you should be better able to get the most of your time and efforts.

And living the dream of working from home can make this even tougher. Not only are there business distractions, there are those at home as well. You’ve heard this before, be in the moment. Fully engage in a singular focus with whatever you are doing. Learn to allow your mind to focus more deeply on what you are doing right now. And when you have planned better, this will become easier. When building a business your time is valuable, pay attention to how you use it.

In closing, remember, we have all seen how a driver on the cell phone is not always a good driver. Their attention is quickly going back and forth between focusing on the call and the road. . . Usually! Have you passed a car going far slower than the speed of traffic and seen the driver on the phone? They are focusing predominately on the phone call and can’t properly regulate the gas pedal at the same time.

How do you want to work . . . and drive?

Comments, something to add? What do you think?

Several weeks ago we took the kids to a pond that had ducks. My son had a bag of breadcrumbs and began chasing after the ducks to feed them.

I said, “Stop. If you chase them they’ll just run away. You have to hold still. They’ll come to you and then you can throw the bread.”

Sure enough, he did what I told him and in no time, he had more ducks than he could feed.

Sometimes we do the same thing. I know I’ve done my fair share of duck chasing.

When you chase every possible option, every guru, every hot new course and product launch, you’re killing your chance of success because when you chase every possibility you can never stand still and follow through on any possibility. It just becomes a vicious cycle with nothing to show for it in return except a bunch of hungry ducks.

Here’s how to deal it with.

1. Have A Clear Target

You have to know what you want. If you don’t know what you want, and I mean specifically, how in the world do you expect to get it? You can’t. Imagine being in a restaurant and the server asks you what you want and you say “I don’t know.” They either won’t bring you anything or you’ll end up with something you don’t like and never really wanted in the first place.

What you want has to be specific. “I want to have an online business” doesn’t cut it. What type? What business model? Will it be blogging, consulting, affiliate marketing, etc? What niche or niches? How much revenue to you want to generate – long term and short?

This is probably the hardest part. But once the you are crystal clear about what you want, the rest can be put in place.
If you are confused, you wont’ take any action. So be crystal clear and write it out.

2. Follow a Proven Plan

I don’t remember who it is that said, “It doesn’t matter how positive you are, if you run East looking for a sunset you simply will not find it.”

That’s why it’s so important to follow a proven plan. And the fastest way to do that is to follow or model someone who has already achieved or gotten what you want. Do what they do.

There are lots of options and many times lots of great options. This is where the duck chasing usually starts and people get lost and start jumping from opportunity to opportunity. Ask yourself this question, “Which person, system, mastermind, or course is going to best teach me and help me get what I want?” If you were really clear and specific in #1, you’ll be able to simply narrow down your choices to just a few.

Now, lay them all out and make a decision. After you’ve made your decision, murder the other choices. That’s right – murder them! This brings us to the next step.

3. Focus!

In the podcast Manager Tools they call it “Murder The Unchosen Alternative”. Once you’ve made a decision about something, you murder or discard all the other options. Why? So you can focus. This takes commitment. There are lots of distractions. It’s tempting to start chasing those darn ducks again. Now, if you’re decision turns out to be the wrong one. It’s okay. Then, you can revive your other options and/or add new ones. But not until you have completely followed through and are ready to either take things to the next level or try a new alternative.

4. Measure

That which is measured can be improved. If you want to lose weight, what is the first thing you usually do? That’s right. Weigh yourself so you can see where you are at and be able to measure your results. Same applies here, you need to assess where you are at. What you measure will depend on your situation but mostly it will be financial and metrics like traffic, conversion, etc.

I think time is another important measurement. For example, how much time do you spend on certain tasks? What are the things that are distracting you?

5. Take Consistent Action

If you are going to start running for exercise, you don’t run a marathon you’re first day of training. But you do run. You at the very least get up and start walking. You don’t wait to have the perfect shoe, or the perfect weather, or the designer work-out clothes. You get up and go.

Don’t wait for things to be perfect. They never will be. Remember, the ducks don’t have to be all in a row.
Get going!

Keith Cunningham said, “Ordinary actions, consistently done, create extraordinary results”.

6. Tweak

Continue to measure your results and make adjustments. Things seldom happen in a straight line. Did you know an airplane is off course most of the time? It’s the tiny little adjustments in direction that make it possible for a plane to land on target.

7. Keep On

Once you have momentum, don’t quit. Keep going. Put yourself in an environment that supports you. The fastest way that someone learns a new language is by immersing themselves in an environment where people only speak that language.

Image source: sxc.hu

Tension will come. It’s not a question of if but when. As an entrepreneur, an innovator, a trailblazer you will definitely experience tension. Tension as you go against the grain. Tension as you front up to solve problems. Tension as you create despite the naysayers. You already know this. This current financial climate creates tension for many also.

So when it comes, what will we do?

Here are some of the value adding assets that I engage in trying times.

#1 – FUN.

Family, food, big laughs. We don’t even need to spend big to do it. Creativity is key. Unleash it.

Are we so locked into the tasks that we may have lost the fun?

#2 – STORIES matter.

Get fired up & fire up others.

What are you reading and writing?

Who do you hang with?

Connect on the net globally. Share applicable, relevant & inspiring linkage.

#3 – VOLUNTEER.

Live for something bigger than your project. Yes I know your project is “all that & a side of fries”. We are all biased like a loving father toward kids.

Continue to get involved in community. Serve. Love.

There are times to knuckle down on our “to do” lists but sometimes it pays to walk away (for a brief time).

I personally have found volunteering to be rewarding.  Not just tangible results of service, but the ideas that come to mind during it.

Have something on hand to collect the thoughts (journal, phone recorder etc)

#4 – INVEST.

Refuse to let today’s tensions limit tomorrow’s returns. Continue being generous.

Is there a potential collaboration opportunity?  Can that collaboration aid a community dilemma, solve a crisis or bring efficiency?

Coaching and mentoring?

What is in our hand? Are our hands open?

#5 – CORE CHECK.

How is your core?     Do you have margin for resilience?

During times of tension, what is inside will be squeezed out. Take some “me” time before to “set up”. That “me” time isn’t selfish. It would be if it was the only thing but that’s not you. That “me” time is wise if we are to have capacity for the long haul & in trying times.

Be like the ant in preparation for the winter.

What is your foundation or value system?

This list is obviously not exhaustive. It is just a few bites of what I bring into play in my world that have proven valuable.

What is the cost for NOT having a Tension Resilience Strategy?

What works for you?

Please invest this into us all by adding to the conversation here. My notepad is ready. Thank you in advance.

Yes I was upset that he quit after the 8th round ended in his corner but I’m not talking about that.  I’m talking about when he gave up during the fight.

He just wasn’t comfortable the whole fight and it seemed like he didn’t really wanted to try.  As if he was waiting for the fight to be over.

I was upset.  I was let down by you Oscar.  Please don’t ever give up again.  Fight back. Believe in yourself.  Don’t ever give up!

This reminds me of one of the most AMAZING speeches I’ve ever heard which was by Jimmy V at the 1993 ESPY Awards.  If you don’t know the story, basically Jim Valvano was suffering from cancer and at the ESPY’s they honor him with the Arthur Ashe award.

This video will give you goosebumps if you haven’t seen it already.  I promise you, you won’t be let down.

Until tomorrow, DON’T GIVE UP, DON’T EVER GIVE UP!  I still love you Oscar!