3 Steps Towards Action
The largest gap is the one between thinking and doing. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Millennial generation, and it has inspired all of us to move in the same direction. Here are 3 steps to help you in the right direction.
3 Steps Towards Action
This week I launched my first book, Leading Millennial Change : Your Guide to Connecting Generations in the Workplace. There are thousands of people that publish books daily, but this one is mine. I have thought about writing a book for the past 15 years but struggled with what to write. Much like when someone asks me why I don’t have a tattoo, the answer is always that I just don’t know what I want. With my book, I could never land on a topic to write about.
I have batted around the thought of what my masterpiece book will look like, much like I have pictured what my first tattoo would look like. I envision the accolades, the adoration, the credibility, and the shear awe that comes from telling someone that you wrote a book. I have always wondered why I thought this was such an amazing feet, and I think it was because there was always a mystery surrounding the creative process that it took to physically produce a work of art.
I finally decided on a topic, sat down at my computer, and started to outline what I was going to write about. 15 years to get the first word down. It took thousands of excuses and false starts to get one word on a piece of paper. It also took the words of John Maxwell telling me not to worry, my first book will suck. They always do. That sentiment gave me a strange amount of clarity. It almost gave me permission to fail, as long as I did something.
There are 3 Steps that you can take to start accomplishing your goals:
- Define a Process – It turns out that if you want to write a book, you need to write. I figured out that I had to put a process together that dedicated time for me to write. I looked at my schedule, and found some large chunks, but the bulk of the work was done one hour at a time. I found one hour a day that was dedicated to nothing but writing. During that one hour I was limited to researching or writing. The activity for that hour had to involve progressive growth towards my goal.
- Set Daily Goals – When I found the time, I had to push myself to set a daily goal. I figured out that if I took small steps daily, I was much more accountable than if I had weekly or monthly goals. The same procrastinators gene that kept me from getting one word down for fifteen years is the same one that made me pull all nighters the day before my deadlines. Accomplishing measured goals daily will bring success.
- Find a Partner – I started a weekly call with a business partner right around the time I decided what the topic of my book would be. We would always talk about what we were doing for the business, and what deliverables we had each week. I decided to tell him that I was writing a book, and that I was trying to get through 500 words a day. From that point on, he would ask me each week if I got through my 3500 words for the week. In the beginning I would proudly say yes, and then some. As the weeks wore on, I would come up with excuses why I missed my goal, and he would put me back on track. A candid partner is invaluable in the process.
This generation of workers has all of the imagination, desire, and innovative spirit to change the world. Unfortunately they are saddled with the same self doubt and failure to launch that haunts all of us. Everyone has a diet that failed, book that was never written, or blog that went no where. Taking these few steps will help your team take the first steps towards achieving their goals.
The Leading Millennial Change, Weekly Tip is to take action, don’t just think about it.
Please comment, like, and share this post. I love feedback, and look forward to your point of view.
Thank You,
Chris Cano
Principal
JLH LEADERSHIP SOLUTIONS 