Stop doing the wrong things!

Anyone can be more productive. It is actually much simpler than you think. I've been that guy chasing the newest tech gadget or productivity hack. But the best advice I ever got has upped my productivity game like no other:

Stop doing the wrong things.

Sounds crazy, right? Who does the wrong things? Well, I’ve been guilty of it quite a lot, and it’s a common mistake I see with my new coaching clients.

It often feels like you're working your ass off, but not moving the needle. Can you relate?

TODAY IN 4 MINUTES OR LESS, YOU'LL LEARN:

✔️ First Things First

✔️ Don't Reinvent the Wheel

✔️ Cashflow is Life

✔️ Future Homer Problem

First things - First:

Let me tell you about my friend John. He's a smart guy, successful in many areas of his life. But when I caught up with him recently, he seemed frustrated. Turns out he was stressed because, he'd was so busy setting up his new business. Ordering new computers, meeting with designers for letterheads, and reviewing pricey CRM software options. Should he get the 5K software or the $10k software? 1TB hard drive or 2TB? Impressive stuff, until I asked him about sales. Guess what?

He hadn't made any. He was so caught up with these tasks, he’d forgotten the first part of business - selling his product.

Well, I explained to him all the things he is working on are great but without sales, none of those things matter. He can track all his customers on his one hand. Which is zero. Let's assume he does get some sales he could use his phone or a piece of paper with a pencil right now. It's better to focus on the first things of business in this case. Sales

Don’t reinvent the Wheel

John, new to direct selling, had some pretty unique ideas to attract customers. I asked him how most of the people in the industry do it and he told me they do calls, set appointments and sometimes go to conferences.

Hmm, so I asked him why he was not trying to do those things? He said he didn't want to be like everyone else. I could resonate with him on that one. As a contrarian, it is more in my nature to go against the grain than it is to go with the flow. But, in this case, let's assume the industry does these sales processes because they work.

What I have to remind myself and the advice to my friend John is until you have mastered the basics you should not reinvent the wheel. Starting a new venture is hard, don't also try and invent a new way to market it too. You need predictable results so do what is normal.

Cashflow is Life

Even the wealthiest people on the planet can have cashflow constraints. Most business problems can be solved with cashflow. How do you achieve cashflow? Well I am glad you asked it's by doing the first things right - getting customers and understanding successful ways to attract them.

Without sales, even successful businesses can collapse quickly.

For instance, if Ford Motors stopped selling cars. How long do you think it would take for their business to collapse. No one in their right mind would let that happen. But, this happens all the time in small businesses and start-ups. Like my friend John and myself, we get so busy with the details that we forget that the cashflow is life. On airplanes, they tell you to put on your mask first so you can help others.

That is what cashflow is to your business put on your mask so you can help others.

Future Homer Problem

There is a scene in the Simpsons where Homer mixes vodka into a mayonnaise jar. Marge tells him that it doesn't seem healthy and he says well that sounds like a "Future Homer Problem".

I've started using that saying in my business. What it means is that sometimes you have to deal with immediate issues before worrying about future ones. Like when we were negotiating a $1.6M cell tower lease sale. The attorney raised a potential future problem about cabling and it could be ugly if it's on the outside of the building. While its a valid potential future issue our current need was to close the deal and improve cashflow. John's CRM problem? That's a future Homer problem, too.

To sum it up, it’s easy to sabotage your productivity by focusing on the wrong things or worrying about future problems. But by taking care of the basics first, like making sales, you'll see how much more successful you can be in your venture. My friend John followed this advice, and the very next day, he landed several new clients. He discovered, like me, that doing the same thing others were doing indeed worked.

My advice to you is the same as the advice I give myself: If you want to be more productive, stop doing the wrong things. Success follows when you focus on the right things.

Until next week

-Jake