I read recently that a consultant who worked with Fortune 500 CEOs, politicians, game changers and general badasses noticed in his days of consulting that there was one thing about his clients that separated them from less successful people in similar positions.
When presented with a problem, a task, a request, or anything that required action, they took an immediate step towards getting it done.
They didn’t necessarily finish the task, but they got things rolling. After all productivity is not always about crossing the finish line, oftentimes it just about getting the wheels turning.
Imagine you are having a conversation with a good friend and based on the topic you two are covering and the problem they are facing, you recommend a book they should read or a podcast they should listen to.
Do they immediately pull up Amazon or Audible and add it to their wish list? Do they jot down a note of the name of the book? Do they email themselves a link to the book site? Do they ask Siri to remind them to find the book later that evening when they know they will be chillin’ on the couch with their phone in hand?
Well, those that act, and act with intention are those that tend to get the most done and tend to be the most successful.
Obviously, there are dozens of other traits that make or break your level of productivity and ultimately your success, and sure you could argue that not distracting yourself during that conversation with your friend has it’s benefits.
David Allen wrote a book several years back called Getting Things Done: The Art Of Stress-Free Productivity and to this day I practice the principles outlined in what I call the Bible of Productivity.
He calls this the two-minute rule; if something can be accomplished in 2 minutes or less just get it done.
What is something that would take you less than 2 minutes to accomplish that you have sitting on your to-do list? Go do it, build momentum, and keep moving.
Here is a short clip of David Allen’s awesomeness.
