The Problem With Giving Yourself More Time…
Summary
- When I look back at my work from 5 years ago, I'm a bit embarrassed, but I know I did my best back then.
- Back then, I thought my work was good because I didn't know what "good" could be.
- I used to give myself 20 hours to complete a task, but now I know it takes up to 200 hours for something to be truly good.
- If you only have 20 hours, do your best with that time; sometimes that's all you can do.
- Now that I understand how much effort "good" requires, I realize I can only handle a few projects at once.
- This is why business leaders emphasize focus—doing something right takes a lot of time.
- It's not just about focusing; it's about understanding you can't do everything well at the same time.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest implementing these strategies to improve your work and personal growth with minimal cost and effort:
Accept Past Efforts: Look back at your previous work and understand that you did your best with what you knew at the time. This helps you appreciate your growth and sets a foundation for future improvement.
Realistic Time Management: If you only have 20 hours to complete a task, make sure you use that time wisely. Focus on doing the best you can within the constraints. For a small business or entrepreneur, this could mean setting clear priorities and sticking to a schedule.
Quality Over Quantity: Once you understand what "good" really is, realize that achieving high-quality results requires significant effort. Don't spread yourself too thin. Focus on a few key projects and put in the time necessary to do them well. This applies to both business tasks and personal growth activities.
Prioritize Focus: Business leaders emphasize focus because doing something right takes a lot of time. Identify the projects or areas that will have the most significant impact and direct your efforts there. For personal growth, this might mean concentrating on one skill at a time rather than trying to improve multiple skills simultaneously.
Incremental Improvement: Understand that you can't do everything well at the same time. Work on incremental improvements. For entrepreneurs, this could mean gradually enhancing your product or service rather than trying to perfect everything immediately.
By implementing these strategies, you can manage your time and efforts more effectively, leading to better results in both your business and personal growth endeavors. The key is to focus, prioritize, and accept that improvement is a gradual process.
Full Transcript
I look back at the presentation that I gave 5 years ago and I really am embarrassed but I'm not embarrassed at the effort I put in then because the effort I put in then I really did think it was really good I just didn't know what good could be because I also gave myself 20 hours rather than 200 hours and so if I only had 20 hours maybe that is the best I can do and maybe today that's still the best I could do I just give myself way more time but the problem with giving yourself way more time once you see how much good good can be is that you realize how few projects you can do that's why biggest business Titans in the world talk so much about Focus it's not that focus is the thing it's just that it takes so much time to do something right that you can't do more than one thing
