Todays' pext was:
The key to having the freedom to do what you want at night is to win your day through structure in the morning. Plan your days so that you can get up early and attack your #1 project before chaos sets in. And when it does, be prepared with 2 solutions for every obstacle. Win your morning. Own your day. Control your life.
Minutes later I received a reply from my business partner Matt Smith challenging me on the ability to truly do this everyday. He showed me his schedule...he has 10 hours of meetings spread over the next 11.5 hours. It's a tough schedule, leaving him little time to work on his priorities. Here's my reply and advice:
1) We will all have days like this.
Whether it is in you in meetings all day, me on stage or in Masterminds all day, or either of us on airplanes all day, these are the days when we will have to "eat it" knowing that the majority of our days will be like the ones described in the Pext.
2) Everyday might not LOOK like a Perfect Day, but our attitude determines whether or not even days like this can be Perfect, and they can.
Here's how.
You win your day with 15 minutes on your #1 priority in the morning.
That's THE big win - perhaps the one and ONLY win of the day. But that's fine, because it's the win that matters most to us.
If the priority was attacked, whether it was Big Thinking on an important decision for you or writing 500 words in that time for me, the rest of the day can pretty much go to hell-in-a-handbasket, as my father would have said.
We've already won.
And so when days like these come along, you WIN with those 15 minutes and then you suck it up and "eat" the rest of the day...because again, there will be days like this...3-4 per month in Baltimore for you. You know that and you must be mentally prepared for that...just like I must be prepared to eat the next 4 days in Miami at the Mastermind meetings where I must go 80% of the time without laptop access compared to normal...thus severely restricting my writing time.
From there on its a matter of conquering the chaos of our schedules...keeping it on track...and again, we have the position of strength to do so. And so we must. With the right attitude.
3) You set the majority of those meetings, and the length for each.
You did well to not schedule anything before 8:30am. Thank you. But this was the schedule that you ultimately chose. This is the bargain you made. Since it is done, you make the best of it.
4) If you disagree, if you still see more obstacles...
...then what are 2 solutions for each? Could any meeting be shorter? Could you sacrifice even more of this day by cramming in 1-2 more meetings (I don't see where, but maybe) so that you have more time tomorrow...and you really, really suck it up today?
There is a solution for everything.
5) And you WILL be free tonight.
Even though it is a work dinner, you will be with ___, ___, and ___. Three people you really like. I imagine you will have dinner at a nice restaurant (it should be of your choosing), and you will have the filet mignon as usual, which you likely will enjoy.
That seems like a freedom won through the control of your morning and your day.
***
Thank you for questioning me.
This made for a good exercise and helped me identify areas of objection to my philosophies.
Back to work before I have to go command the chaos of the MM!
Have a Perfect Day with the right attitude,
c.
The key to having the freedom to do what you want at night is to win your day through structure in the morning. Plan your days so that you can get up early and attack your #1 project before chaos sets in. And when it does, be prepared with 2 solutions for every obstacle. Win your morning. Own your day. Control your life.
Minutes later I received a reply from my business partner Matt Smith challenging me on the ability to truly do this everyday. He showed me his schedule...he has 10 hours of meetings spread over the next 11.5 hours. It's a tough schedule, leaving him little time to work on his priorities. Here's my reply and advice:
1) We will all have days like this.
Whether it is in you in meetings all day, me on stage or in Masterminds all day, or either of us on airplanes all day, these are the days when we will have to "eat it" knowing that the majority of our days will be like the ones described in the Pext.
2) Everyday might not LOOK like a Perfect Day, but our attitude determines whether or not even days like this can be Perfect, and they can.
Here's how.
You win your day with 15 minutes on your #1 priority in the morning.
That's THE big win - perhaps the one and ONLY win of the day. But that's fine, because it's the win that matters most to us.
If the priority was attacked, whether it was Big Thinking on an important decision for you or writing 500 words in that time for me, the rest of the day can pretty much go to hell-in-a-handbasket, as my father would have said.
We've already won.
And so when days like these come along, you WIN with those 15 minutes and then you suck it up and "eat" the rest of the day...because again, there will be days like this...3-4 per month in Baltimore for you. You know that and you must be mentally prepared for that...just like I must be prepared to eat the next 4 days in Miami at the Mastermind meetings where I must go 80% of the time without laptop access compared to normal...thus severely restricting my writing time.
From there on its a matter of conquering the chaos of our schedules...keeping it on track...and again, we have the position of strength to do so. And so we must. With the right attitude.
3) You set the majority of those meetings, and the length for each.
You did well to not schedule anything before 8:30am. Thank you. But this was the schedule that you ultimately chose. This is the bargain you made. Since it is done, you make the best of it.
4) If you disagree, if you still see more obstacles...
...then what are 2 solutions for each? Could any meeting be shorter? Could you sacrifice even more of this day by cramming in 1-2 more meetings (I don't see where, but maybe) so that you have more time tomorrow...and you really, really suck it up today?
There is a solution for everything.
5) And you WILL be free tonight.
Even though it is a work dinner, you will be with ___, ___, and ___. Three people you really like. I imagine you will have dinner at a nice restaurant (it should be of your choosing), and you will have the filet mignon as usual, which you likely will enjoy.
That seems like a freedom won through the control of your morning and your day.
***
Thank you for questioning me.
This made for a good exercise and helped me identify areas of objection to my philosophies.
Back to work before I have to go command the chaos of the MM!
Have a Perfect Day with the right attitude,
c.
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