Chris Martinez shares with you how to set yourself up for success. Planning your day is critical but it's nothing without taking action. And it doesn't stop there, he discuss with you the details of measuring your progress and why it's so important to use all three skills. Each skill complements each other and using them together is a combination for success. Your success. Whether your searching for your dream job or just fed up with putting things off, your dream is waiting for you just beyond the horizon. Don't quit now, you're too close to stop. So what are you waiting for? ►If you know someone who could use this podcast, please share it with them. ►If you are still looking for your dream job, I've written a book just for you:https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Martinez/e/B07XWS9R2D/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 ►[00:06] Brian Tracy said, "Every minute you spend planning saves 10 minutes in execution." ►[00:25] Planning your day 

• Is the most important thing to do first.
• When we plan, we need to give space for distractions, interruptions and changes in priority.
• We are creatures of habit and most of the time we just "do" without putting a lot of thought in "what" we do.
• Studies have shown that one out of four or  five people have a tendency to procrastinate.
• How I read that is, we wait for something to happen instead of making things happen.
• Instead of reacting, try being proactive.
• This is the first step with taking control of your day.
• Being proactive has a lot to do with how you'll feel at the end of the day of working on things.
• You'll either feel like you had a good productive day or feel like your day was a complete chaos and you didn't get anything done.
• There's a difference between the mindset of one who is proactive versus one who is reactive.
• Someone who is proactive focuses on eliminating problems before they appear while someone who is reactive only responds to events after they have happened.
• It could be said that someone who is reactive implies that you don't have any initiative but deep down in your heart and mind you know that you're not that kind of a person.
• But how would you start to change this type of behavior?
• You start one small step at a time.
• You plan your day by keeping your list short and by prioritizing that list.
• When planning your day, create a list with 3 or 5 of the most important things you need to do.
• Planning your day makes the work you do today efficient and sets you up to accomplish your tasks effectively.
• The time you spend planning will save you time when you are at the step of taking action.

 ►[02:11] Taking Action 

• [02:13] Jim Rohn said, "Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion."
• What does this mean?
• It means that the positive reinforcement you give yourself is nothing without taking the necessary actions to move towards your goals.
• He's telling us that without doing what is necessary, we're just tricking ourselves to believe that our dreams will happen without doing something about it.
• Take that plan, that list and work on it every day.
• What I've learned in project management and something that we all need to keep in mind is that completing a task without a deadline, without defining a period of time is also not productive.
• Here's why: if you say your going to get something done but don't put a deadline on it, your giving yourself an open window to getting it done.
• In some cases this may be ok.
• But what if it has to do with your dream?
• Do you really what to give yourself a window to keep putting it off?
• You be the judge. Work on it a little bit.
• Do one thing at a time and don't move onto the next step until you get the most important one on your list done.
• Here's where I tell you to not multi-task.
• Don't get many things started but nothing actually complete. Only work on one thing at a time.

 ►[03:27] Measuring your progress 

• Measuring what you've got done and not done is a powerful motivator.
• Especially if you are getting things done.
• [03:34] Brian Tracy also said, "People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine."
• Completing your list sets you up to do more the next day.
• [03:47] Alfred Montepert tells us, "Do not confuse motion and progress."
• He gives an example that a rocking horse keeps. moving but does not make any progress.
• When working on your tasks, don't create busy work for yourself.
• Ensure that that things you are working on are the things needed to get you to your goal.
• [04:06] Keeping your lists simple helps you stick to it.
• Having a complex and long list can trigger your mind to give up entirely so avoid the complexity and lengthy lists.
• [04:20] Review often and stick to your schedule.
• Reviewing your list monthly allows you to adjust and make corrections sooner than checking your list once every 3 months.
• Reviewing your list weekly is much more agile than the monthly approach.
• And if you can review your list daily your doing great.
• Remember that you're running your race, not someone else's.
• Remember that these are your goals, not someone else's.
• Remember that these are your dreams, and you deserve to them and it all starts with a single step.
• So, what are you waiting for?

 ►Image credit:  Image by Web Donut from Pixabay ►Music credit: Song: Passing TimeSource: YouTubeArtist: Kevin MacLeod

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