8 Actionable Ways to Increase your Success

First and foremost, this is NOT a "To-Do" list! As much as I love to-do lists, and the satisfaction of crossing things off the list, I don't want you to start stressing that I'm going to add to your plate! If you have read one-of-the-many other "TOP XX Habits of Successful People" articles out there as I have, you might be feeling overwhelmed and asking yourself how you are going to incorporate all these ideas. Good news first: you do not need to incorporate all of these ideas, all at once. It is possible to incorporate a small change and still have big impact.

It is the process of building new habits. And practice makes perfect. If you are looking to become a "new you", I hope to not burst a bubble; but, this is not an an overnight activity. Before I dive into my personal recommendations, allow me to provide a few examples of success, enforcing the process/practice based approach:

1. Athletic Practice: If you are an athlete, you know the amount of hours that are dedicated to practice. Endurance training, speed training, strength training, hand-eye coordination, team chemistry. The list could go on and on. You name the sport and championship match, and most coaches and athletes could share more about the effort that went into getting to the championship, versus winning the championship. SUCCESS was about practice.

2. Breaking Bad Habits: If you've ever tried to break an old habit (like quitting smoking), you know it is a daily effort and requires considerable thought and energy. Regular activities like coffee in the AM, the afternoon break with colleagues and maybe drinks with the girls in the evening, are all reminders of what you are giving up. Initially, you struggle and maybe sneak a couple. The guilt comes in, because you feel like you are failing. But, then possibly you replace the smoke with a new one habit. And over time, you start to think about smoking less and less. Eventually you get to a place where the only reminder is the annual physical where you have to check the box of being a former smoker. SUCCESS was a process.

3. New Job: Starting a new job, no matter how qualified you are and how much experience you have, requires some learning. Whether a new role in the same company, new role at a new company but same industry, or new role at a new company and new industry; you have some things to absorb before you can demonstrate success and hit goals. Maybe it is recognizing personalities of new colleagues, or the understanding the new products you represent, or grasping the nuances of a completely different industry. There is a certain amount of time it will take to absorb to the point you can utilize this new information to your benefit. SUCCESS was the learning journey & commitment.

So, let's get to the main event already.

The below 8 actions are things that have all played a significant role in enabling me to have success in my career and inside individual jobs I have held.

Be intentional:

This means creating a plan around your goals and working actively and mindfully towards them. It is the exact opposite of accidentally achieving something - like hitting the lottery.

• Don't let the day or work just happen to you. Make a list at the very end of each day, of what you want to accomplish the next. Max 4 things.

• Plan your work - work your plan. Don't deviate.

• If you find you aren't getting to everything you planned in a day, assess why. What is distracting you? Do you need to revise the plan, or do you need to remove distractions?

Stay organized:

Each person has a different method of organization, so you're going to need to find one that makes sense for you, where you work and the tools that are available to you. But some key components of staying organized are:

• Email Actions: Read / Delete, Read / File, Read / Take Action.

• Email Goals: set a number of emails you are willing to sit as unread at the end of each day. You are not going to get through all of them in a day, so get comfortable with a certain amount remaining for the following day.

• Touch Once: for those that have heavy project based work that requires collaboration with others, take action on a project or follow up only once per / [you set the timelines]. Mine was every 1-3 days. This way I was never revisiting something multiple times a day, and wasting time. And, I had 2 piles of paperwork - one not touched yet, and one touched. Helped keep me focused.

Get up early:

Early for me might be late for you. Do early for your schedule. Give yourself extra time on top of what you normally need to get yourself out the door. This gives you breathing room and allows for greater mental clarity.

• Late rising pushes you into catch up all day long.

• Extra time in the morning gives you a chance to think about the day ahead and how you will tackle the challenges / conversations ahead.

• Tackling the challenge of not hitting the snooze button gives you the sense of success right after your feet hit the ground. (Trust me, I know!)

Find a Mentor, a Coach or Collaborator:

They say, "It's all about who you know." This is true for so many areas in life. For me personally, my family, friend, mentors, colleagues, et al, have given me all kinds of guidance, advice and help over the years. If any of them are reading today - THANK YOU! You each have made an enormous impact.

In our professional careers, family and friends can often times help with new ideas on navigating challenges. Sometimes though, it helps to call on others that are directly in your industry or space. So, mentors, coaches, collaborators - call it what you want - find people.

• Ask a lot of questions - mostly open ended. For the most part, people love sharing their knowledge with someone who is willing to listen and learn.

• Ask for recommendations of others with whom you can keep the conversation going. "Can you point me in the right direction....?"

• Lastly, get comfortable saying, "I don't know" and asking for help. This is a true sign of confidence and demonstrates high Emotional Intelligence (EI / EQ), which is an incredibly valuable leadership skill.

Keep your promises and follow through:

As you build your network, with coaches/mentors/collaborators, the opportunities to work on special projects and gain advancement will multiply. During the relationship building, and afterward, always follow through on what you say you are going to do. This sounds like a no-brainer; but, given how most of us are over-stretched and wearing multiple hats, it is easy for things to slip through the cracks. If you are the one that always keeps a promise, it will NEVER go unnoticed.

• This means holding yourself accountable, and publicly. Don't be afraid to admit when you fall short. It will naturally create accountability in others, as the group will want to follow your lead.

• Before extending a promise, ask about and anticipate timelines. Always assume it will take longer and buffer your delivery deadline.

• Accepting a meeting notice is a promise. If you think you can't attend, don't accept. Or work to build 5 - 10 minutes of buffer, to give you time between meetings in case of delays.

Keep things simple:

It is easy to over complicate, over analyze and add too much complexity when working on projects and new challenges. For many, it can stem from the desire to get things right the first time or perfectionism. Fight the urge to perfect (unless you are presenting to your CEO!)

• Getting it done is sometimes better than getting it right – you might learn more through finishing and revising versus going over and over before getting feedback.

• Identify the things that bog you down and that you don’t need to do - move them off your plate or delegate. Perhaps you will find that getting them done wasn't as critical as you thought. You can test out the theory - like the clothing donation section in your closet. See what work feels like without these extra tasks. How is the business performing? Are you still accomplishing goals? If so, permanently ditch the task!

Commit yourself to continuous improvement:

Even the rock star performers out there are not perfect. There is always room for improvement - personal execution, processes in the organization, products we represent.

• Challenge yourself without being your harshest critic (I can hear a friend of mine asking me if I take my own advice! 😂)

• Accept feedback without the urge to get defensive. And, when you receive feedback, ask for specific examples, if they haven't been provided.

• Don’t try to fix everything at once – pick one area of life you are looking to modify and start “trying on” new ways of doing things. Don’t give up after the first time. Think about athletes. They have to repeat many many many times before they perfect.

Set aside time for reflection:

This could be one of the most important suggestions, that really can be coupled with any of the above thoughts. Without reflection, sometimes it is hard to keep at it, and keep trying and perfecting. And you might miss out on a chance to pat yourself on the back. As you reflect, consider:

• What went well? And where can you do this thing more frequently?

• What could have been better?

• What is the "Why" for both of the above questions. Understanding why something went swimmingly, or why you fell on your face will either ensure you are able to repeat or avoid the next time around.

I know I have put a lot on the table - but consider this buffet style, where the plates are only big enough for one area at a time. And the more you practice, the more natural this will feel and suddenly become second nature. Small changes can have a BIG impact!

Happy Practicing!