4 secrets to being exceptionally productive

January 27, 2016 at 06:04 AM
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Being productive isn't necessarily about doing more work in the day. If you're not doing the hard work that success demands, you're fooling yourself if you think you're ever going to be successful.

You've got to do the hard things if you want to enjoy the great things. It's as simple as that.

1. If you're not working hard, you're not working smart.

But what if you're already working as hard as you think you can? How do you do more if there isn't any more time to work?

Being exceptionally productive has a lot to do with your priorities.

In fact, that's the secret to getting more done each day. Managing your priorities.

First, you have to know what those priorities are.

2. You have to know what matters the most to you.

Where do you want to be in the long term and what are you doing right now to get there?

Once you know that, you have to work hard to maintain that focus. It's called momentum.

That's the secret to productivity. Managing your priorities to make sure you maintain momentum.

That means you have to be forever vigilant.

3. Deliberately be introspective about what matters most to you.

Refuse to buy into other people's plans and processes.

Think for yourself and then do what it takes to make sure that what matters most is what you're focused on… maniacally and unapologetically.

If you're not as productive as you need to be, your priorities are messed up. You say something is important, but aren't working towards that goal.

You don't have a productivity problem.

4. You have a priorities problem.

The same is true for everyone who works for you. If they aren't working hard enough, it's because you haven't worked hard enough to be their number one priority.

Think about that the next time you're upset that you can't get to where you want to be.

You obviously aren't making it a priority. That's something you should change today.

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