How to Hack Our Own Habits to Accomplish More, with David Burkus

Mo asks David Burkus: How can we keep focused on doing the right things when we are constantly distracted in this virtual world?

• The short answer is to not focus on it. Studies have shown that when timelines are too far away we tend to think that it’s going to be too difficult to accomplish. This applies to health and investing, as well as career goals. The key is to make the long game into your short-term goal.
• You will always default to the short term. Think about your long-term project and identify the milestones that will lead up to it, then focus in on those. This is especially important in a remote environment where no one is actively looking over your shoulder to make sure you’re getting things done.
• Milestones have to be co-created with the client. Your team also needs a regular check in process where you cover three key things for each person involved: “What did we just accomplish?”, “What are we focused on now?”, and “What is blocking our progress?”
• The real challenge in a client engagement is when nobody wants to admit they need help. If you take the time to record those regular check-ins and address the obstacles to progress, you can avoid that situation.
• Without a regular cadence of communication, you can end up with a client that is really angry with you and you may not know the reason why.

Mentioned in this Episode:

GrowBIGPlaybook.com

davidburkus.com