What’s an area of life that is important to you but one in which you aren’t producing the results you would like to produce? You might, for example, want more money, better relationships (or an intimate relationship) or a more satisfying career.
Now ask yourself this question: How much time do you actually devote to achieving your results? Not how much time you think you spend, but how much time you actually spend. If you’re unsure, I encourage you to keep a time log for two weeks to track the reality of how you use your time.
Keeping a time log is simple but requires discipline. On a piece of paper (or a computer) note the time when you start an activity and the time when it ends. Something that works for me when I am at my desk is to start an egg timer when I begin an activity and note how much time has passed when I conclude that activity.
If your day is full of interruptions, you’ll need to carry your time log with you and be especially diligent. And be sure to maintain the log in your personal life as well as at work.
At the end of two weeks, simply add the amount of time you were engaged in your various activities. It will become obvious to you that you are producing results in the areas where you are devoting your time and not producing results where you aren’t.
To get what you want in life, you have to take the actions consistent with getting what you want. This seems obvious, but is it? Here’s an example that suggests we sometimes delude ourselves into not seeing the obvious.
I was at a seminar the other day and a man (“Ralph”) stood up to talk about how ashamed he was that the amount of money he was making was insufficient to pay his bills and provide for his family. He repeatedly described himself as a failure.
The seminar leader asked Ralph how much money he wanted to make. He told Ralph that he didn’t have to reveal that amount, but he should think of a specific number. After a few moments of thinking, Ralph said he had that number in mind.
The seminar leader than asked Ralph how many hours per week he had to work to earn that amount. Ralph responded that he needed to work at least 40 hours.
Then the seminar leader asked, “How many hours did you work last week?”
Ralph took a while to consider his answer and then, in a soft voice that had me straining to hear he answered, “3.”
We laughed and Ralph laughed. The message was clear: We may complain about the circumstances of our lives, but we may not be taking the actions necessary to change those circumstances.
In fact, every time we find ourselves complaining, consider that the complaint may be what we’re using in place of acting to change those circumstances.
How much time do you actually devote in reality to taking actions consistent with making more money? How much time do you actually devote in reality to improving your relationships or getting a relationship? How much time do you actually devote in reality to developing yourself in your career?
Your time log will give you the answer to those questions. Consider the possibility that there is a one to one correlation between actions and results.
I’ve taken on the practice of tracking the number of conversations I have daily to promote my business and I’ve noticed that the more conversations I have, the more business I get.
Consider the possibility that we are not failures but rather failures in performing the actions that will produce results.
Your time log will tell you where you are failing in your performance. Take more actions consistent to producing the results you say you want and you will have those results.
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