Phillip was interested because his team performance, heck, his performance wasn’t getting the results he expected. It wasn’t getting the results he wanted. We were talking about habits.
“So, how do I pick the right habits? Just tell me what to do and I will do it,” Phillip asked, sounding this side of desperate.
“I can’t tell you what habits to choose,” I replied. “You have to pick your habits, they have to be yours.”
“Yes, but where do I start? Everything sounds like a Boy Scout promise. Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly.”
“That’s not a bad list, but a random list of Pollyanna habits will only get you to a random destination. You have to be much more deliberate. You asked where to start? Where do I always want you to start?”
It took a second to kick in, but Phillip knew the drill by now. “You always want me to start where I plan to finish.”
“Exactly. Work backwards from your destination. You have to build into your thinking, those habits that will carry you in the right direction. Here is your assignment. Meet me here tomorrow with a word picture (your vision) of what life is like when you get there. Then we will talk about the habits you may want to choose.” -TF
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Our next Leadership Program in Fort Lauderdale begins Monday, February 26. Visit www.workingleadership.com.
A good way too find your own habits is to take a close look at the reaction you get from your actions. Our past makes who we are today, including our habbits. I believe that every habbit we have, is the minimum effort we have to do to get our result done. Untill someone point it outs to us or we the moment we feel that the results changes… (read the results are no more than those we expect them to be).
Is you don’t wanna wear dirty socks, stop throwing them into a corner. Throw them into the laundry. ;-))
Kurt,
I would put them in the laundry if I just find them. Damn.