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Be Ready to Step Into a New Decade

Jorge Fusaro — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:37:25 +0000

Ever since High School, December has been an introspective month where I usually spend most of my time reflecting on the past 11 months. I look at my work, family, relationships, community, faith, decisions/choices made, etc. Yet most of my time investment goes into taking a sincere look at myself. I revisit personal goals to see what worked and what did not. I take notes. Lots of them.

I don’t know about you, but 2009 has been unlike previous years. It’s one of those years that I’ll probably draw wisdom for the rest of my life.

In the weeks leading to New Year’s Eve, I start preparing for the new year in anticipation. I throw away paper, optimize my computers, donate old clothes, start setting the tax docs aside, clean the fridge, etc. I like to be ready for that 1st day of the year.

While going through this process, I obtain the clarity and certainty of the goals I want to tackle in 2010. I don’t cut corners here. I take the time I need to set the the goals I need.

Allow me to share some thoughts of why I think goals are important to success, in life as well as in business. Perhaps these characteristics will inspire you (or others) to write your own list of goals.

Goals are the road-map of life and business. Without goals it is almost impossible to make plans and strategies. Needless to say, achieve anything.
Goals are not just for you and about you. Your goals are most likely going to affect others along the way. That can be very useful when deciding what goals to include.
Goals are proactive measures for success. Goals get you where you want and need to go. They are very useful, especially when the going gets rough. And it will.
Goals separate the achievers from the wanderers. People who set goals accomplish more. Organizations with goals have a competitive advantage and a strategy to support the goals.
Goals can serve as milestones to determine progress along the way. Humans and organizations need check points and rewards. Milestones are great incentives to keep going.
Goals are like cheerleaders. Once achieved, they keep cheering us on to tackle the next one.
Goals are not just for leaders. They are for everybody: parents, leaders, businesses, markets, community groups, entrepreneurs, churches, teams, countries, etc. Any individual or group of people seeking to go somewhere, must take adequate time to set goals.
Goals are our friends. They keep us accountable with a clear purpose and sense of direction.
Goals help us choose our peers. It is a natural thing to find like-minded people with a similar set of goals. This is easier than ever with social networking sites.
Goals serve as the common language in organizations. Employees should believe in the goals, and be able to list and talk about them.

After many years, I’ve learned that goals can be a bit sneaky and play hard to get; or take a different form or stop making sense along the way. That is why I find it useful to write them down and look at them as much as I need to. Feel free to make edits along the way if you need to. You have to flexible in this day and age of rapid change.

We are entering a new decade. We can create anything in a ten-year span. We just need to set our hearts and minds in motion.

Are you ready?
Do you know what you want in 2010?
What are your goals?

Please share on the comment section below. Thanks!

Too Much on Your Plate, Try FAT!

Jorge Fusaro — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:57:45 +0000

Are you overwhelmed with paper and emails? Did you run out of space in your file cabinet? Is there too much on your plate, and you don’t know where to begin?

FAT is an acronym for a simple, smart, and effective way of getting-things done.

The FAT system was originally designed as a way to handle paper coming into our lives, finding its way on top of our desks and then into filing cabinets. This system also works great for handling e-mail and other to-do items. Let me break it down for you.

FAT stands for File, Act, or Toss:

1) File “it” in a reference file in case you need it in the future.
2) Act on “it” immediately or in the near future.
3) Toss or recycle “it.”

You define what “it” is for you.

“It” can be a diverse number of things, such as, new ideas, purchased items, gifts, etc.

When you process each incoming item only once, you don’t have to come back to it again. This will save you plenty of time and will help keep you sane. Mental clutter is often the result of too many options, too many postponed decisions, or the accumulation of too much paper/email. Now, there are only three decisions you can make: File, Act, or Toss. Keeping paper/e-mails/to-do-lists down to a few items has a huge positive effect.

Some things to consider when using FAT:

1) File – Be positive you will get back to it again. Think when/why/how. Will you really return to that email, check that bookmarked website, contact that person you got a business card from ever again? Or will filing continue to increase “stuff” in your office or at home?

2) Act – Go for it now or later. Do it in actuality and do it just once. Can you act on that piece of paper/e-mail right now? Are you really going to act within a reasonable time? Or can you forget about “it” altogether and move on?

3) Toss – If you are not filing or you are not acting on “it,” you should toss it. Try to recycle that piece of paper, purge those files from your hard drive, or donate those clothing items you have not worn in months, etc. Tossing is not only about trashing, but also about giving to someone who will make use of it.

You can employ FAT right now. You can start by looking at all the paper clutter on your desk, your inbox filled with unanswered e-mails, the 5-year old files occupying hard drive space on your computer, and the stuff on your closet and your drawers, etc.

Try the FAT system moving forward. Think FAT every time you bring something new into your home. I bet your life will begin to feel uncluttered and less stressful.

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How to Do Things Just Once

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:39:28 +0000

When Henry Ward Beecher was asked how he could accomplish so much more than others, he replied,

“I don’t do more, but less than other people. They do all their work three times. Once in anticipation, once in actuality, and once in rumination. I do mine in actuality alone, so I end up doing things just once.”

To do something in actuality means to act at the present moment.

I really love this quote and advice. I get amazing results when doing things in actuality rather than having them accumulate on my to-do-list. I know that “later” often means “never” or “too late.”

If you have a tendency to procrastinate, force yourself to do things in actuality. This tip is especially helpful for creative types, visionaries, and entrepreneurs who are easily distracted. Usually the toughest part is getting started. Once you begin, it begins to flow. Overtime, you will get better at tackling tasks on the moment.

My favorite part of getting things done in actuality is that I don’t have to come back to it again. That frees up my leisure time for more “play time”.

Keep Your Eyes on the Ball and Score

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:15:11 +0000

Sports, in general, are all about keeping your eyes on the ball in order to score and win. The goal is accumulating points to out beat the competition, until the time runs out or the game is over. The one with the best score wins.

Winning is ultimately based on how well you played the game.

Scoring has every thing to do with impacting the ball in the right place and at the right time. This kind of focus is non-negotiable in sports. Any kind of contact with the ball-batting, throwing, catching, kicking, shooting, volleying, or pushing-is critical to scoring. If you lose sight of the ball, you lose the chance to score a touchdown, make a goal, hit a home run, or spike a volleyball.

The practice of keeping your eyes on the ball requires focus, discipline, drive, and accountability.

Now think of the ball as…
» Your next big promotion.
» The time you spend with your children.
» The business you want to begin.
» Your relationship with your spouse.
» Your health and wellness.
» The habit(s) you want to change.
» Your spiritual growth and enrichment.
» The academic degree you want to complete.
» Your financial solvency for…
» Fill in the blank ____________________.

So, if the ball is your goal, how can you keep your eyes on it and score?

The first step I recommend my clients when it comes to goal-achieving is: evaluate what you really want and write it down. Make a habit of reminding yourself (develop a healthy obsession) of what your goal is. Maybe you want to post this goal on the fridge, the cover of your daily planner, or the car dashboard.

Perhaps you need an accountability partner to help you keep your eyes on the ball. If so, go and find one. Don’t wait any longer if you need support. You want to score, don’t you?

My father taught me to golf at an early age. He constantly reminded me to keep my eyes on the ball. The truth is, every new golfer wants to hit the ball as hard and as far as possible. Rather than completing a full swing, we put our focus on strength and destination. We get so eager to see how far we can strike the ball that we lose sight of the little ball sitting on the grass in front of us. As a result, we either strike out or miss hit and the ball goes in any other direction than the one we originally intended.

Keeping your eyes on the ball is not an option. It is critical to scoring well and winning, in golf and in life.

Golf is a game of high concentration and low tolerance for distractions. Strong winds pose a challenge. Random sounds may interrupt. Fellow golfers know to keep quiet when others are ready to swing.

Golfers look for that perfect moment (no distractions, no excuses) where they can keep their eyes on the ball and swing.

How does that perfect moment look for you? What do you need to keep your eyes on the ball?

Focus: The Secret Weapon of Winners

Jorge Fusaro — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:04:30 +0000

As a personal coach, one of the main areas I get to work with people is to develop and monitor the ability to “focus” in their lives and career. Coaching can help you stay in focus, week after week.

Are you easily distracted by trivial sounds, someone walking by, or by new thoughts that cross your mind? Do you take much more time than your colleague to complete the same task? Do you find yourself reading the same page over and over again?

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, you are most likely struggling to focus.

Focus is one of the main keys to a successful life. Most, if not all, of your endeavors require a certain degree of focus. In this article, I want to offer a more comprehensive definition of focus and three fundamental truths about it. My hope is that you get a deeper understanding of the art of focusing and start making any necessary adjustments/changes in order to make it part of your day to day habits.

I define focus as the ability to fully allocate your mental attentiveness and physical energy towards a specific activity, task, or person. Focus is particularly important when it comes to starting and finishing a project and doing it to the best of your ability. It is critical for achieving any kind of goal at any possible scenario. It applies to those who are known for their creativity, those that are financial gurus and even to those that dedicate to sales. It is necessary to understanding any subject or person, growing your career, or entertaining an audience. Focus is a personal resource that we should all strive to master. It is the one indispensable tool to operating in an effective and efficient manner.

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

~ Alexander Graham Bell (Scottish born American Inventor and Educator, best known for the invention of the telephone in 1876; 1847-1922)

Focus is the secret weapon of winners. Winners perform above average and obtain extraordinary results because they understand the value of focusing. Winners know that if they lose focus they will not be performing to the best of their abilities and thus, are on a loss. The highly mental attentiveness of athletes is often referred as “being in the zone.” Athletes like Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, could not have achieved the extraordinary success, repeatedly, without a high degree of focus. When expectations are high, competition is fierce, millions are watching, and success hinges on focus, athletes make sure to enter and stay within this zone. It is in this zone where they shine the most.

I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.

~Zig Ziglar

Focus is the gateway to excellence. You will begin to achieve all your goals/dreams and become all you are capable of when you learn to focus your attention on them. The sooner you learn this fundamental truth, the more likely you will overcome everything that distracts or limits you in any way. When you single-mindedly focus, all of your-self is in synergy to produce the best results. Van Gogh could not have painted amazing masterpieces, without focusing on the final vision. Michael Phelps would not have won 8 gold medals in the Beijing Olympic Games, if he were thinking about anything else besides reaching the finish line. Regardless of your skill-level, it is single-minded focus that produces excellent results.

You cannot attain focus if you strive to do too much at a time. Be in more than one place at a given moment. Listen to simultaneous conversations. Or speak on the phone, drive, drink coffee, and listen to music.

Focus is the enemy of multitasking. Most people think multi-tasking is effective. I could not disagree more. I think it is the path of the ineffective person. Research shows that the more things people try to do at a time, the more they split their attentiveness and drop performance. Mozart would not have been unable to compose pieces of breathtaking music, while listening to an opera or conversing with friends. The computer was not created while inventors talked on their cell phones. Trying to do or accomplish many things at once is a roadmap to mediocrity. Too much dilutes focus. Hence the saying, “less is more.” When your attention is divided into many things, there is a greater likelihood that you don’t learn well, you don’t remember what you did, or what you need to complete.

Follow-up Questions:

Are you focused on where you need and want to go?
Is your focus aligned with your goals and priorities?
What is keeping you from maintaining focus?

One task at a time tool! (Nowdothis)

Jorge Fusaro — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:25:39 +0000

Brilliant idea!

Do you need to focus on ONE TASK at a time? Let your web browser tell you what to do and when!

http://www.nowdothis.com

I have found this tool really helpful in keeping me focused on one task at a time rather than falling in the endless trap of multitasking that does not work for me. It helps me stay on point if I wander off to surf the web.

Definitely a simple and great productivity tool! If you are using Firefox add the webpage to your sidebar so you can always see it.

Bookmark NowDoThis.
Choose “Organize Bookmarks” from the “Bookmarks” menu.
Select the NowDoThis bookmark.
Click “More”.
Select “Load this bookmark in sidebar.”
Restart browser – close all the windows and start again.

Check the blog with more tips on usage: Nowdothis BLOG.

Do you have a stop-doing-list?

Jorge Fusaro — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:09:20 +0000

Look at your to-do list. How many items do you find that have been there for months. Do they really need to get done? What if you deleted them?

The first rule of getting something done is identifying and knowing what does not need to get done.

List those tasks where you get “caught up” everyday. Create a new list and call it: “Stop Doing List.” This list will serve as a reminder of the activities that distract you from the most important things you should be doing. Life is too precious and work too important to let your time be consumed in less important stuff.

Your list may include habits that no longer work for you or activities that consume your time each day. Some of the items I have on my list are:

Stop checking emails all day long. Check them only twice a day, at 10am and 4pm.
Stop multi-tasking. Do one thing at a time. Be present.
Stop taking breaks between tasks. That includes picking up the phone. Start a task and complete it.
Stop writing long and often unrealistic “things to do” each day. Focus on three major, must-get-done tasks!
Stop wandering on the www reading so many blogs, news, and articles.
Stop checking Facebook several times a day. Check it one and limit my time to 20 min a day.

Sticking to your “Stop-doing-list” will not easy and requires constant practice and discipline. The reward is more time to do what needs to be done and more time to do what we love to do the most.

What items should you quit doing? Join the conversation by commenting below.

Habits: Working for or against you?

Jorge Fusaro — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:48:00 +0000

Research shows it takes at least 21 days to create or break a habit. Today is February 24th. You are on the eight week of 2009. Fifty days have gone by already since the first of the year.

What have you accomplished in these 50 days? What New Year Resolution(s) did you forget or postpone for next year? What habit do you need to break or create ASAP?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me,
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed, just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a
machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done.
Educate me. Train me.
Lead me. Reward me.
Be firm with me and I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

The author of the above riddle is unknown, but the words are right on point. Habits can make or break you. They can have a positive or negative effect on your emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical health. I hope you agree with me that these four health areas of your life have a direct effect on how you feel about yourself, your relationships, your career, your wellness, etc. The connection between habits and health is inseparable; good habits usually lead to good health, whereas bad habits usually lead to bad health.

Good habits will produce joy, happiness, confidence, focus, and fulfillment. Maintaining good habits will most likely lead to a healthier and longer life. Bad habits will eventually catch up with your overall health. They can produce inaction, guilt, doubt, fear, and even death.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle

It has been said that “People do not decide their future. They decide their habits and their habits decide their future.” Your habits can support you in your future or they can enslave you. The first step is to acknowledge the habits you have that are not good or productive. It is in you to decide which habits you want to cultivate and which ones you want to weed out. Once you decide what has to go, you must implement a plan to quit those habits.

You are the sum of your good and bad habits. Bad habits can be broken. Good habits can be learned. Stopping a bad habit, like smoking, requires that you create a new habit, nonsmoking. Losing weight and toning your body requires new habits, exercising and healthy eating.

Habits are important because they become automatic behaviors. Your brain is wired with the tendency do the same things repeatedly. This becomes more prevalent when you are weak, stressed, or busy. Your self kicks into cruise-control and carries you along. If the habit is good, great for you! If it is bad, it will drive you in the wrong direction.

Good habits will also ensure you stay sharp when challenged. If you have a habit of exercising 3-4 times a week and go on vacation, finding the time to exercise will be a priority because your body (and mind) have been conditioned to exercise. If you break your habit, your body will respond. Without the usual dose of weekly exercise, you will not be at your best. Or if you are into the habit of not eating complex carbs, you will not be tempted to eat those morning bagels at work. If you are in the habit of doing your homework ahead of time, you will not run into a late-night marathon to write a term paper the night before. If you have the habit of getting to know someone well before moving forward into a relationship, you are more likely to make better decisions and protect yourself emotionally.

In closing, consider reflecting on the quote from French biographer, novelist and essayist Andre Maurois (1885-1967):

“If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a habit, you create a character. If you create a character, you create a destiny.”

Follow-up Questions:

Which habits are “killing you softly” in life and at work?
What habits do you need to break or create now?
What is preventing you from taking immediate action?

Remember, creating or breaking any habit is possible with the right attitude. The process can be mentally and physically exhausting when you realize it doesn’t happen overnight. Changing habits requires effort, discipline, and conviction. You are more likely to succeed if you have the right support group. Let me help you in your journey. Whether you want to stop procrastinating, lose weight, get out of debt, find a mate, change careers, or quit smoking, a life coach can help you. Personal coaches are in the business of helping people “how” to go about making changes in their lives and career.

Click for my 2009 special coaching program!

Rolodex Power

Jorge Fusaro — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:28:50 +0000

Women have an innate gift to connect and sustain relationships. This gift continues to pay off in the business world, especially virtual enterprises. Businesses today will not get very far without women in leadership! Tom Peters in The Pursuit of Wow! (p. 36) writes:

Rolodex power. Your power is almost directly proportional to the thickness of your Rolodex, and the time you spend maintaining it. Put bluntly the most potent people I’ve known have been the best networkers — they “know everybody from everywhere” and have just been out to lunch with most of them. One reason (among many) that women may well take over the world of “virtual enterprises” is that they seem to have a greater instinct for networking. And the unfettered-by-machismo males who have taken to networking will do better than those who shun it as “sissy stuff.” But truth is, it has always been the age of “networkers”; and in an era where organizations depend more and more on tenuously connected outsiders to get the job done, it will only become so.

Starting Early

Jorge Fusaro — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:58:09 +0000

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – Benjamin Franklin

I have always admired people who wake up really early to feed their child, go for a run, hit the gym, read, spend extra time on prayer and reflection, or write in the tranquility of dawn- before going to work. There is a deep sense of satisfaction in getting things done early in the day. Many successful writers, artists, inventors, poets began early in the morning and retired early at night.

I first heard the quote above in 1999 when studying B. Franklin’s life and historical contributions in a business class. Back then and still today, it feels that Franklin’s secret to success was, in large part, due to the discipline of operating during his “best hours,” early in the morning.

What are your best hours? How can you make better use of your time?

Our internal clock was designed to function at the rhythm of the sun. After all, the sun was the alarm clock for centuries before the first mechanical clocks made in the 14th century.