Michael Hyatt's Blog, page 29

The Easier Way to Delegate for Perfect Results

Delegation is critical to leadership. You can’t take on more responsibility unless you are willing to delegate to others. But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

Some time ago one of my mentees was planning a special event. He was surprised to discover that someone on his planning team had completed a project he hadn’t really authorized. He was clearly frustrated, because he felt the other person had taken more initiative that he was given.

After listening to him describe the situation, I said, “The fault is not with your team member. The problem is that you didn’t make your expectations clear when you delegated this task.” I then asked if he had ever heard of the five levels of delegation. He said no, so I shared them with him.


I realized this was a brand new thought for my young friend. Perhaps it is for you as well.

As a leader, whenever you delegate a task, you need to make it clear what level of authority you are conferring on others:

Level 1: Do as I say. This means to do exactly what I have asked you to do. Don’t deviate from my instructions. I have already researched the options and determined what I want you to do.

Level 2: Research and report. This means to research the topic, gather information, and report what you discover. We will discuss it, and then I will make the decision and tell you what I want you to do.

Level 3: Research and recommend. This means to research the topic, outline the options, and bring your best recommendation. Give me the pros and cons of each option, then tell me what you think we should do. If I agree with your decision, I will authorize you to move forward.

Level 4: Decide and inform. This means to make a decision and then tell me what you did. I trust you to do the research, make the best decision you can, and then keep me in the loop. I don’t want to be surprised by someone else.

Level 5: Act independently. This means to make whatever decision you think is best. No need to report back. I trust you completely. I know you will follow through. You have my full support.

The problem is that my mentee thought he was delegating at Level 2. The person on his team assumed he had given him Level 4. The whole problem could have been avoided by clarifying the expectations on the front end.

When delegation goes awry, that’s often the reason. The leader failed to clarify the level of authority. Remember, your team members are not mind readers! They bring their own experience, biases, and energy to work every day. In the absence of clear expectations, they will take whatever action they think best.

You can ensure a better result by mastering the five levels of delegation and teaching them to your team. When you do, this will become a common language that instantly clarifies your intention. You’ll begin to get the results you want instead of surprises. And your team will thank you.

3 Habits of Wise Leaders

Good leaders want to do the right thing. But sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. Have you ever made a really unwise choice that cost you a relationship or an opportunity? 

It’s so discouraging to realize you’ve made an avoidable mistake. It can even make you question your decision making ability. 

But you can recover.

5 Characteristics of Weak Leaders

(And How Not to Be One)

Sometimes you learn from positive role models. Often you learn from negative ones. This is one of the reasons I love to read history—you invariably see both.

After watching Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, I decided to reread Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It is a page-turning account of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and his political genius.

At the beginning of Lincoln’s first term, he appointed each of his former Republican rivals—those who had run against him for his party’s nomination—to cabinet posts. The narrative demonstrates his amazing ability to tap into a broad array of perspectives and create alignment among those who often disagreed violently with one another.

Unfortunately, Lincoln’s leadership was not perfect. He occasionally selected men for public service who were unworthy of his trust. One such individual was Gen. George B. McClellan, commander of the Army of the Potomac and, eventually, first general-in-chief of the Union Army.

McClellan had significant character flaws that can serve as warning signs to anyone in leadership. Ultimately, these cost him dearly: He lost Lincoln’s confidence, his job, and a run for the White House (against Lincoln). Worse, his missteps prolonged the Civil War and cost the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

I want to share five flaws I noted in McClellan as I read Goodwin’s book. These characteristics practically define what it means to be a weak leader. And the list doubles as a convenient self-evaluation tool if you want to avoid becoming one.

1. Hesitating to Take Definitive Action

McClellan was constantly preparing. According to him, the Army was never quite ready. The troops just needed a little more training. In his procrastination, he refused to engage the enemy, even when he clearly had the advantage. He could just not bring himself to launch an attack. When Lincoln finally relieved him of his duties, he famously said, “If General McClellan does not want to use the army, I would like to borrow it for a time.”

I meet people all the time who seem to be forever preparing. They’d like to launch a new product, find another job, write their first book—but they just can’t seem to pull the trigger.

One of the most important leadership qualities you can develop is practicing the art of the start. Perfectionism is the mother of procrastination. You’re never going to find the perfect time or the perfect circumstances or be totally prepared. At some point you have to kick into action.

What is it you need to do that you’ve been procrastinating: a difficult conversation, a project to approve, a person to fire, a call to make? Whatever the next step, just do it.

2. Complaining About Insufficient Resources

McClellan constantly complained about the lack of available resources. He didn’t have enough men. His men weren’t paid enough. They didn’t have enough heavy artillery. On and on he went.

Leaders who do this never get very far. I don’t care if you own your own business, lead a department in a major corporation, or head a nonprofit. You’re in place to deliver an outcome, and your job is to figure out how to get the resources or make do without them.

The truth is that, as a leader, you never have enough resources. You could always use more of one thing or another. But successful leaders figure out how to get the job done with whatever resources they have. How?

By using the one thing you possess that is potentially unlimited: your imagination. Ultimately, there is no such thing as insufficient resources; there are only unresourceful people.

3. Refusing to Take Responsibility

McClellan blamed everyone else for his mistakes and his own refusal to act. He even blamed the president. Every time he suffered a defeat or a setback, someone or something was to blame. He was a master finger-pointer. Great leaders don’t do this. They are accountable for the results and accept full responsibility for the outcomes.

Once, a consultant asked me about my company’s financial performance. We missed the target for that month, and I blamed the economy. “I get it, the environment is tough,” she responded, “But let’s be honest. It’s always tough, right? Michael, what is it about your leadership that led to this outcome?”

Whoa! I instantly felt defensive, but she helped me along. “As long as the problem is out there, you can’t fix it. You’re just a victim. I’m not trying to shame you; I’m trying to empower you. You can’t change your results until you accept full responsibility for them.”

U.S. Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin call this extreme ownership.

Once you accept responsibility, you can change the result. You may not control the circumstances you’re in, but you do control your response. Changing the result is as simple (or as hard) as changing your response. Imagine how different your family, church, company, or even the country could be if everyone took personal responsibility for their outcomes.

4. Abusing the Privileges of Leadership

While his troops were struggling in almost unbearable conditions, McClellan lived in near-royal splendor. He spent almost every evening entertaining guests with elaborate dinners and parties. He insisted on the best clothes and accommodations. His lifestyle—underwritten by taxpayers—stood in distinct contrast to that of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, McClellan’s eventual successor.

Leadership is first and foremost a stewardship, as Andy Stanley says. We never hold it for ourselves; we hold it on behalf of someone else. If you’re in a position of leadership, it’s to serve. And guess what? You’re accountable. If you abuse it, you’ll eventually lose it, as Gen. McClellan did.

As a leader of a company, here’s how I look at potential actions and decisions. “If a reporter or a private investigator were following me around, how would the choices I am making today appear if they were on the front page of The Wall Street Journal?” Our bad decisions have a funny way of coming to light, and, as a leader, you need to live with that prospect in clear view.

5. Engaging in Acts of Insubordination

McClellan openly and continually criticized his boss, President Lincoln, by being passive-aggressive. Even when Lincoln gave him a direct order, McClellan found a way to avoid obeying it. In his arrogance, he always knew better than the president and had a ready excuse to rationalize his lack of follow-through.

Criticizing your boss in public? Never a good idea. As Solomon advised thousands of years ago, “Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter.” People in authority will eventually find out what you’ve said, and when they do, don’t be surprised if you get fired. You were asking for it.

If you disagree with your boss’s direction and feel deeply about it, then confront in private or resign. This really comes down a matter of integrity. Even if your boss is incompetent, you have the duty to respect him or her. If you can’t do that, you need to resign. Speaking out publicly while you’re still employed is just not an option. And it’s not very smart.

Lincoln had the patience of Job. He gave McClellan numerous opportunities to correct his behavior and redeem himself. But in the end, McClellan either could not or would not do so. He left the president no choice but to relieve him of his duties.

The lesson has been lost on leaders in later generations. Both Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Gen. Stanley McChrystal lost their jobs for insubordination too.

Look up or down the line of command in many organizations, and it’s easy to see these five character flaws afflict many leaders today. If you’re a leader, the best safeguard against them is self-awareness. Reading books like Team of Rivals, or just reviewing a list like this can give you critical insight about your own behaviors.

And once you see your weaknesses clearly, you can build the corresponding strengths into your character and your leadership.

5 Steps to Avoid Investing in the Wrong People

What do you do when you have a customer you just can’t seem to satisfy? Or a team member who seems resistant to coaching? What about someone in a personal relationship who seems to suck the life out of you?

Sometimes it seems feels like the people who demand the most of your time and energy offer the least in return. What can you do about it?

4 Must-Have Traits in Every Person You Hire

Most leaders I’ve met want to build a high-performance organization. Instinctively, they know that this requires great people. But few of them have ever taken the time to define exactly what they are looking for when it comes to the ideal candidate.

Good leaders begin the recruiting process with a written job description. This generally includes the required educational experience and technical skills. But great leaders do more than this. They take a step back and look at the baseline qualities of the candidate.

They ask questions like—

What kind of employees are we trying to attract?
What kind of people will get the results we want and others expect?
What kind of people do we want to surround ourselves with?
What kind of people will contribute to the culture we are trying to build?

Warm bodies are obviously not enough. Better-than-average won’t get you there either. Even “really good people” are insufficient. You need higher standards if you are going to achieve your mission.

As I have thought about this, I have reduced these high standards to a sort of formula: H3S.

I want to fill my company with people who are humble, honest, hungry, and smart. The “h” in the word “high” represents the first three attributes. The “s” in the word “standards” represents the last attribute. All are equally important, but let me expound on each of them separately.

For simplicity sake, I’m going to use the masculine pronoun below, but it should be understood that the ideal candidate may, of course, be either a man or a woman. Gender is irrelevant.

Humble

Humble people have a good sense of himself. They don’t think more highly of themselves than they should (pride), nor lower than they ought (poor self-esteem). They are sober-minded, having a realistic grip on their strengths and weaknesses.

They do not exhibit self-ambition. They might be ambitious for the cause, company, or team, but they’re not ambitious for themselves. They aren’t overly concerned about their title, status, or position relative to others.

Humble people assume the posture of a learner and don’t pretend to know more than they do. It never crosses their mind that they may be the smartest person in the room.

They respect other points of view and asks questions to make sure that they understand an idea before criticizing it. They make other people feel smart and competent.

They are others-centered, no matter who the other person is. They acknowledge “the little people,” those that are easily overlooked by everyone else. They are valued and treated as peers.

Whenever I hire an executive, I always like to take him or her to dinner. I am always interested to see how they treat the host, the waiters, and even the busboys. Will they be curt? Demanding or brusque? Does they treat the people who serve them with dignity? Do they even notice them? Are they appreciative?

I am always leery of people who suck-up to those they want something from and disrespect everyone else. There’s no explaining it away. This is a character flaw. I have no patience for it, and I don’t want someone like that working in my organization.

Humble people are open to correction and not defensive. They are quick to admit mistakes and apologize. They know how to say, “I am sorry. What I did was wrong. Will you please forgive me?” Everyone makes mistakes. The truly humble try to make it right. Usually, they have had plenty of practice.

They are conscious of the contributions others have made to their life, career, and achievement. They are quick to give credit and express sincere gratitude. Conversely, when others compliment them, they offer a simple thank-you, without making a big fuss about it.

Finally, they do not consider certain jobs to be beneath them. They see what needs to be done, pitch in, and are just happy to be part of the team.

Honest

As Dr. Stephen R. Covey points out in The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People:

Honesty is telling the truth—in other words, conforming our words to reality. Integrity is conforming reality to our words—in other words, keeping promises and fulfilling expectations. This requires an integrated character, a oneness, primarily with self but also with life. (195–196)

When I use the term honesty, I am referring to both honesty and integrity.

At the most basic level, honest people not lie, exaggerate, or misrepresent the facts. Spin control is a foreign concept. So is bragging. If anything, they are given to understatement, especially about their own accomplishments.

They do not withhold negative information but give you the good, the bad, and the ugly. They have the courage to face reality head on and make their words conform to it. They would never ask someone else to lie on their behalf or cover for them.

They are also honest in giving others feedback. They are able to be direct without being hurtful. They don’t say anything about those who are absent that they wouldn’t say if they were present. They avoid drama.

Finally, honest people keep their commitments, even when it is difficult, expensive, or inconvenient. If they said they’d do it, they do. You can take it to the bank.

Early in my career, I was able to land the job as a marketing director at one of the larger publishing houses. The only problem was that I didn’t have any experience. None!

So my new boss put me on an informal 90-day probationary period. He said, “Look, I think you will do fine, but let’s agree to a 90-day trial run. If everything goes as planned, I will give you a raise equal to 10 percent of your annual salary. If not, we’ll shake hands and part company as friends.” I enthusiastically agreed, rolled up my sleeves, and got to work.

Knowing that this was an enormous opportunity, I read everything I could on marketing. I worked hard. I got to the office early and left late. I was determined to prove to my boss that he had made the right decision.

At the end of the 90-day period, I was actually looking forward to my review. I knew I had exceeded his expectations. I was confident I would get the raise.

My boss called me into his office. After the usual pleasantries, he said, “Mike, you have done an outstanding job. You have exceeded my expectations in every way. I am very proud of you.”

“But I have one problem,” he continued. “Last week, our parent company instituted a salary and wage freeze. They have refused to consider any exceptions.”

My heart sank. Though I tried to appear professional, I’m sure that my disappointment was written all over my face.

Then he handed me an envelope and said the most amazing thing. “In that envelope is a check for the amount I promised you. It’s not from the company, but from me personally. I have discussed this with my wife, and we are both in agreement. You don’t have a choice about whether or not to accept it. So don’t even think about refusing. I made a commitment to you. You lived up to your end of the bargain—and then some—and I want to live up to mine.”

As a young businessman, that act made an enormous impression on me. Not only did it bond me to my boss—still one of my best friends—for life, it has provided concrete guidance in every tough decision I have ever made.

Hungry

A hungry person is someone with an appetite. Metaphorically speaking, their last meal is already a fading memory. They want to eat, and they want to eat now. All they can think about is food!

In other words, hungry people don’t dwell on past accomplishments. They are never satisfied. They’re always reaching for more—setting higher goals. They are driven to exceed whatever expectations have been imposed upon them. This is just a part of their make-up.

They are intellectually curious. They read constantly—news sources, magazines, and books. Lots of books. They love learning new things and sharing that learning with others.

Hungry people don’t get stuck in a rut. They’re open to new ideas and new ways of solving old problems. That means they’re always looking for the best solution and embrace change if it will take them—or the company—to a new level.

They come to meetings prepared, having completed their homework. In the meeting, they listen actively, asking lots of questions and taking notes. Afterward, they follow up. They complete assignments on time without someone having to prod them. They are relentless when it comes to execution.

In short, hungry people full out, holding nothing back. More than anything, they want to win and are willing to pay the price to do so.

Smart

Smart people usually score high on traditional IQ tests. But not always. You have to be careful. Some people are book-smart but street-stupid. I’d like to have both. But if forced to choose, I’ll take the street-smart candidate.

Smart people are a quick study. They can connect the dots without a lot of help. They have a natural ability to think laterally, that is, across disciplines. They can apply learning from one field or category to another.

They’re comfortable using metaphors and analogies. They know how to make complex subjects simple without confusing themselves and everyone else in the process.

I was a philosophy major. Some of the books I had to read were really difficult. I remember reading, re-reading, and then re-re-reading some particularly tough passages. Then it dawned on me. If this guy is so smart, why can’t he explain this in a way that is easy to follow? I concluded it was a case of  “the emperor having no clothes.”

In my experience, confusion often masquerades as complexity. Listening to an explanation, you might be tempted to think that you’re just not smart enough to understand the issue. In reality, the presenter may not understand it well enough to make it simple. I want people working for me who are smart enough to work through the complexity in order to arrive at a simple explanation.

Smart people also ask thoughtful questions. They see connections between topics that others miss. They are aware of nuances. And they have diverse interests, which come in handy when trying to understand new information.

They are also able to focus mentally, for long periods of time if necessary. They don’t give up quickly. They keep pressing until they gain clarity or insight. They are a creative problem solvers.

Finally, smart people have cognitive intelligence. That’s mostly what I have covered here. But that alone is not sufficient. In my opinion, a successful candidate also needs emotional, relational, and even spiritual intelligence to succeed.

Summary

It’s hard to find the buried treasure unless you have a map. It’s difficult to win a scavenger hunt unless you have a list. And it’s impossible to hire the right people unless you know exactly what you are looking for.

In my company, I want to hire people who are H3S: humble, honest, hungry, and smart. If I can do that consistently, I will build a great and enduring organization.

By the way, I have also developed a list of 25 questions to ask candidates. These questions help you discern whether or not he or she is the ideal candidate. You will find them, if you know what to look for.

Encore Episode: 4 Rituals That Make You Super Productive

We all want to be more productive. But you know how it goes—a little late getting started, a quick task you just remembered, and then it’s non-stop interruptions all day long. Where does the day go?

How to Master the Essential Discipline of Stillness

According to the popular StrengthsFinder assessment, my top strength is Achiever. The report that summarized my test results says,

“People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.”

This strength has served me well, but it also has a dark side.

It means I have a difficult time turning off my mind and just being still. I seem to be more of a human doing than a human being.

My wife, Gail, recommended that I read The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. Gail said, “You won’t agree with everything in this book, but I think it will really challenge you—especially the first chapter.”

Intrigued, I decided to read the book on our next vacation.

The first chapter is entitled “Nothing.” In summarizing the chapter, Beck says, “To begin the Joy Diet, you must do nothing for at least fifteen minutes a day.”

I was so challenged by this chapter, that I read it four times. I also practiced this discipline for over three weeks in a row.

Honestly, it was one of the most transformational things I have ever done.

What Is Stillness?

Beck’s premise is that “doing nothing is the most productive activity you will ever undertake.” By doing nothing, she means literally doing nothing.

This is not prayer (at least not in the sense of talking to God).
It is not problem solving.
It is not planning.

Doing nothing is being still, quieting your mind (and the cacophony of voices), and simply being.

All the ancient wisdom literature points to the importance of this practice. Psalm 46:10 is representative: “Be still and know that I am God.”

This is tremendously difficult in our media rich, always-on, over-communicated society. Noise crowds into every empty space, leaving us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.

Mother Teresa expressed it this way,

We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. . . . We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

Abba Poeman, one of the ancient desert fathers, taught his disciples, “If you are silent, you will have peace wherever you live.”

Why You Need Stillness

I doubt you need convincing that you need some measure of what I am describing here. As I have shared about this topic with others, they inevitably say, “Oh, I so need that in my life! How do I start?”

Nevertheless, here are three of my own reasons for practicing the discipline of stillness:

I want to maintain perspective. If I don’t make time to be still, then I find myself in reactive mode—influenced by hundreds of little voices with big demands.

I want to stay connected to my true self. I don’t want to get confused, thinking that I am the image I present to the world. They are related, of course, but I want to live from the inside out.


I want more internal margin in my life. While I have been pursing external margin in my calendar and finances, I also want internal margin—more room to notice what matters most and be thankful for it.

How to Practice Stillness

This is not something I have enough experience with to write. In fact, I feel pretentious for even attempting it.

But perhaps that is the value I can add to the conversation. I am not so experienced that I have forgotten what it is like to be a beginner.

In that spirit, let me offer a few suggestions for how you can practice stillness in your own journey and reclaim some interior margin.

Schedule a time. I schedule stillness first thing in the morning. This time has become so precious to me, that I won’t want to start the day without it. I practice this first—before prayer, before Bible reading, before journaling, and before exercise.

Find a place. When I was on vacation, I sat on the dock by the lake. This was ideal. But it is not my real world. Now I simply go into my study and shut the door. The main thing is to find a place where you won’t be interrupted.

Set a timer. I am following Beck’s admonition to set aside fifteen minutes a day. In my limited experience this seems about right. It is amazing how my perception of this time changes from day to day. Sometimes it seems like forever. Other times, it goes by very quickly. I use the timer on my iPhone.

Relax your body. I simply sit in a soft chair with my eyes closed. I then systematically relax my body and get quiet. Beck says that if you can’t sit still, then engage in any mindless physical activity, like rocking in a chair or watching some natural motion like fire or running water. I also play a recording of the ocean.

Quiet your mind. This is the biggest challenge for me. Just when I get still, I have some random thought or a whole flurry of thoughts. But I am getting better. Beck offers several techniques for practicing “nonjudgmental observation,” a discipline that keeps your allotted time from being hijacked by an overly active mind.

Be present. Don’t be regretting or celebrating the past. Don’t be worrying or dreaming about the future. Instead, collect your thoughts and be present—in this moment. It is the most important time you have. In fact, it is the only time you have.

Learn to return. This has been the most helpful component. In involves recalling a “place of peace,” where you had a particularly vivid experience of peace and stillness. For me, I go back to a time I stood on the balcony of a monastery in Greece, looking out on the Aegean Sea. I wrote about it here.

Perhaps the most important thing is just to start. It’s easy to blow the discipline of stillness off as something you don’t have time for. Don’t. The busier you are the more important it is.

You need this in your life more than you know. Even if you can only set aside five minutes a day, do it. And if you miss a day or two, don’t beat yourself up. Just start again. You can do this, and you’ll be glad you did.

Encore Episode: The 3×3 Goal Achievement Strategy

As a leader, you probably have a huge goal in mind. It’s the heartbeat of your ambition, the reason you get out of bed in the morning. Chances are good that you’ve thought about it long and hard, and you may even have a timetable and specific objectives for reaching it. 

The problem is that distractions, interruptions, and “business as usual” cause us to loose sight of our goals. Before long, another month, another quarter, maybe even another year has gone by with no progress. It’s disheartening. We know. We’ve been there. 

But there’s hope!

5 Reasons Why You Should Commit Your Goals to Writing

Around the first of every year, you’ll hear a lot of talk about New Year’s resolutions. Network television, radio shows, podcasts, and blogs all run features on the topic. Then around the start of summer, the subject comes up again as people realize the year is half gone. Often, they realize their resolutions have been long forgotten.

The truth is, New Year’s resolutions don’t work. Get this:

25 percent of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions after one week.
60 percent of people abandon them within six months. (The average person makes the same New Year’s resolution ten separate times without success.)
Only 5 percent of those who lose weight on a diet keep it off; 95 percent regain it. A significant percentage gain back more than they originally lost.
Even after a heart attack, only 14 percent of patients makes any lasting changes around eating or exercise.

But while New Year’s resolutions don’t work, goals do. Surprised?

The research is conclusive. Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study on goal setting with 267 participants. She found that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down.

I have found this to be true in my own experience. Here are just a few goals I have written down over the last three decades:

Marry a passionate, supportive wife who is committed to long-term marriage.
Make $100,000 a year doing what I love.
Lose 25 pounds and get in the best shape of my life.
Complete a half marathon.
Write a New York Times best-selling book.
Become the CEO of Thomas Nelson.

Of course, most people don’t bother to write down their goals. Instead, they drift through life aimlessly, wondering why their life lacks purpose and significance. I am not saying that committing your goals to writing is the end game. It’s not. But it is the beginning.

The secret to accomplishing what matters most to you is committing your goals to writing. This is important for at least five reasons.

Because it will force you to clarify what you want. Imagine setting out on a trip with no particular destination in mind. How do you pack? What roads do you take? How do you know when you have arrived? Instead, you start by picking a destination. The same is true with the milestones in your life. Writing down your goals forces you to select something specific and decide what you want.

Because it will motivate you to take action. Writing your goals down is only the beginning. Articulating your intention is important, but it is not enough. (This is one place I disagree with Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret ). You must execute on your goals. You have to take action. I have found that writing down my goals and reviewing them regularly provokes me to take the next most important action.

Because it will provide a filter for other opportunities. The more successful you become, the more you will be deluged with opportunities. In fact, these new opportunities can quickly become distractions that pull you off course. The only antidote I know of is to maintain a list of written goals by which to evaluate these new opportunities.

Because it will help you overcome resistance. Every meaningful intention, dream, or goal encounters resistance. From the moment you set a goal, you will begin to feel it. But if you focus on the resistance, it will only get stronger. The way to overcome it is to focus on the goal—the thing I want. Steven Pressfield’s book, Do the Work , is must-reading on this topic.

Because it will enable you to see—and celebrate—your progress. Life is hard. It is particularly difficult when you aren’t seeing progress. You feel like you are working yourself to death, going nowhere. But written goals are like mile markers on a highway. They enable you to see how far you have come and how far you need to go. They also provide an opportunity for celebration when you attain them.

Goal setting is so important that I’ve made it the cornerstone of my latest course, “The Focused Leader Masterclass.” Thousands of students have already taken the course and are well on their way to achieving extraordinary goals. It’s a great way to get a leg-up in designing goals you will actually accomplish. You can find out more here. Check it out.

Either way, you’re much likely to achieve your goals by doing this one simple thing: write them down.

Encore Episode: The Power of Personality

Leaders must motivate people. The problem is that everybody’s different, so what inspires one team member may demotivate another. It can be confusing to lead a diverse team. But personality is not an unsolvable puzzle. And we’ve got three powerful tools to help you put it all together.