I’ve talked a lot over the last few weeks about High Payoff Activities and Low Payoff Activities. My challenge to you is to focus on HPA’s for the next 30 days and sit back and enjoy the results.  Everyday ask yourself this question, “Is what I’m doing right now bringing me closer to my goal?”  If not, stop and do something that will. 

When you have clearly defined your High Payoff Activities and goals and accepted personal responsibility to manage yourself and your priorities, you will find it much easier to say no to low payoff activities, distractions and people who do not contribute to your success and achievements. Focus your time, effort and energy on the activities that produce the greatest results in your business on “what really matters most”.

In the words of Lin Yutang, Chinese inventor, author, and philosopher, “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”

When we simplify, eliminate, delegate or outsource our Low Payoff Activities, we have more time for our High Payoff Activities. Remember, the single most powerful investment you will ever make is an investment in yourself and your future. To develop more of your potential and to achieve excellence in execution, you need to take time regularly to sharpen your saw. Are you committed to being the best version of yourself? 

I personally schedule at least five hours a week for self-development and work in my Effective Personal Leadership Program to learn how to do what I do a little better, to become the best in my field. Personal development is a powerful use of time as you are seeding the orchard of your future, investing time that will yield greater productivity and success. As Jim Rohn says,  “You have to be good at planting in the spring or begging in the fall.”

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself:

1. What do I need to stop Doing? What behaviors get in the way of your success? What behavior prevents you from being as successful as you would like to be?

2. What do I need to continue doing and even accelerate? What do you do really well? What are your strengths? How can you use this to your advantage? How can you do these things more often?

3. What do I need to Start Doing? What are you not doing now that you need to be doing to get the results you want?

If you want to do something better and if you want better results, then you must begin to think differently and behave differently. Use these questions as a catalyst to jumpstart you on your journey toward success in business and in life.