3 Rules To Get It All Done & Create The Life You Want

Apparently, a lot of folks are wondering how I can travel the country, do all my Ironman events (on my world record quest to complete 60 in 2018) and still fit in work. I have to admit, it’s not always easy. But the good news is that it can be done by doing a few things right. More importantly, you can streamline your days, get more work done and create the life you want if you follow these three simple rules that have been paramount to my personal success.

#1. Get rid of the extraneous and focus on the important. How much of your day is spent doing things that really don’t matter? It can be stuff you do during your work day or outside of it. We are bombarded by all the messages that we’re living in a world where being overwhelmed and not having enough time is the norm. Unfortunately, we are complicit if this is our truth. In fact, in one study on productivity, it was reported that we are interrupted on average every 11 minutes at work. The worriesome part of this statistic was that if others (our boss, customers, coworkers, family, etc.) were not interrupting us, we were interrupting ourselves. In other words, we find and create our own distractions. Sad but true. We are often our own worst enemies with our self sabotaging behavior. The simple fact is that we CAN control our days and our distractions much more than we actually do.

Many folks, myself included, will say that they work well under deadlines. The reality is that a deadline gives us a line in the sand. It forces us to do whatever is necessary to complete a task by a specific due date. Ever notice how a big project will get done right before the deadline is due, regardless of whether we have two weeks or two months to complete it? The reason is that we often work well under pressure, because we aren’t so good at managing our time otherwise.

The truth is that I can do all the travel (I’ve been in over 20 states this year), take all the time off I want for vacation/fun days, do full-day ironman events every six days, on average, and get work done because I have eliminated the things that waste time that don’t matter. Granted, I’m an owner in my own company and I have flexibility. I also can do most of my work virtually. But I would be willing to bet that if you looked at what you have to do, what’s most important for you to do to reach your big goals, and eliminate (or minimize) the rest; you would have time for all the stuff that really matters to you too (including how you want to spend your free time).

#2. Do what you’re great at (or get great at something). At my age and with my experience level, I have a lot of expertise in my chosen work of sales and sales leadership training and development. So, when I’m working with a client, I may be customizing content or modifying my approach, but I’m not reinventing the wheel. I’m great at what I do. I’m not saying that to be boastful or arrogant. I’m saying that because I’ve spent my career staying on top of my game and delivering big results to my clients. While I always want to do my best, much of the work I do, I could do in my sleep…so to speak. What’s brand new and insightful for a client may be something that I’ve done in some way 100 or 1000 times before.

As an expert, I’m not suggesting that you can rest on your laurels, but you can tap into the wealth of experience you’ve amassed for 10, 20 or 30+ years. It allows you to be efficient and effective. You’re able to bring more value to the table to your clients with less effort. And once you’ve put in the hard work (usually over a decade or more) to become an expert, it’s much easier to maintain it and stay on top.

One of the key concepts I’ve taught for 15+ years is the need to focus on a Bull’s Eye Market. Simply stated, it’s focusing on a group of customers that you can serve better than anyone else. These customers have a shared commonality, by job type/profession or industry. By doing so, you can become an expert. The more you have a singular focus, the more you can be a valuable resource and offer customized solutions that will be beneficial and sought-after. You grow to fully understand your Bull’s Eye Market’s challenges and opportunities, in a way that a generalist cannot. With this understanding, you can even charge more for your services, because your solutions are more valuable. Equally important, you will also find that you can work smarter and not harder which is a cornerstone to creating the life you desire.

A key lesson from my career is that expertise matters and if you want to get to a place of financial security and independence, while having more flexibility, you need to figure out your Bull’s Eye Market. I was having a conversation with a very important client yesterday. I’ve worked with them consistently for over 10 years and in the conversation, I was told multiple times how valuable I am to them. And I was asked again (this happens every year or so) if I had any plans to retire anytime soon, because they don’t want to lose me. I was also told that they had plans for a huge project they wanted my help with in the coming year. You don’t have that kind of longevity and partnership with a customer without being great at what you do. And you won’t be great at what you do, unless you are an expert that serves a market better than anyone else.

The reality is that I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing now (traveling, taking time off, completing my ironman events, etc.) if I hadn’t invested in and created the work that I do. So, to the people who say, “I don’t know how you’re able to do it all…” it wasn’t happenstance or luck that got me here. It was a deliberate focus (over many years) on what I needed to do to create the business, clients and lifestyle that I wanted.

I teach my clients all the time that they need to be intentional and strategic in how they approach their work, whether it’s a particular task or their career. Most of us, are reactive and not proactive. We go with the flow, instead of being more deliberate. We often don’t have what we want, because we haven’t given it enough thought and consideration. Of course, once you figure out what you want, you have to execute, as necessary, to make your dreams a reality. And that can and usually does mean that you’ll have to put in some hard work. Unfortunately, most people fall into comfortable patterns that help them get-by in the short-term, but may not serve their long-term interests.

#3. Take care of yourself. You’re no good to yourself, your clients or others, if you’re not at your best. It’s critical to be healthy – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. No doubt, I put a lot of demands on myself. Each ironman event alone is a major undertaking. Most hardcore endurance athletes may train all year to complete one or two ironman races or marathons. I’m doing one every six days, on average. I’m also working, traveling, etc. So, self-care is critical to keep me in top form, avoid burnout and have plenty to give back to others. There are so many things I do here, some religiously, and some sporadically. But regardless, I’m always mindful of what I need and approach my self-care with utmost respect and diligence.

So, what are some of my self-care secrets? The list is long. For physical self-care, I focus on proper recovery after my big Ironman events. These are grueling days where I’m swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles, often in less than ideal weather conditions. The toll it takes on my body is huge so I have to be able to reset and recover quickly, in order to keep my productivity high the rest of the week. That includes the right nutrition (focused on anti-inflammatory foods), proper hydration, compression-wear, Epsom salt baths, strength training, proper exercise, stretching, hot saunas and cold showers. I also get regular massages, do neuromuscular activities often and participate in other energy-enhancing activities like earthing.

For mental and emotional self-care, I put in a lot of work. I’ve literally developed dozens of techniques that work for me in given situations to keep me strong, self-confident and motivated. Over the years, I’ve experimented and tried different approaches and techniques to see what works so I can easily employ an approach as needed. Some of the things I do that are pretty popular include journaling, practicing gratitude, being mindful, and letting go of worry and distractions. I also focus on love, serving others and being humble (letting go of the ego).

Developing my mental fortitude or grit is paramount to my success. It’s what allows me to achieve big things, because it’s rare that important tasks or goals are accomplished without some level of sacrifice. In fact, in order to create a rich life of your choosing, I think you have to challenge yourself. Most people want a great life, but they’re not willing to embrace the struggle that comes with it. So you must ask yourself, what are you willing to sacrifice to reach the goals that are most important to you? What pain will you endure? There are always obstacles that must be overcome and roadblocks to circumvent. Few of us get handed our wish-list on a silver platter.

A couple of my friends recently shared their concern over what they characterized as my “self-inflicted torture.” I had shared some of the pain and struggle that I had endured for a particularly brutal Ironman race. Was it a tough day? Absolutely. Could I have stopped and quit. Sure. But instead, I looked the pain straight in the eye and kept going. Pain and discomfort are almost always temporary and I know that in any worthwhile effort there will be peaks and valley. I don’t let the valleys scare or intimidate me. I simply work through them, knowing another peak is on the horizon.

I would not be on this quest for a world record if it was easy. I do it because embracing the struggle is part of the journey. Not only is it part of the journey, it’s an ESSENTIAL part of the journey. The struggle, in my experience, is what shapes you, changes you and humbles you. It gives you the opportunity to see things differently, to push limits, step out of comfort zones and to learn and grow. That is the only way you transform who you are and what you’re capable of at a fundamental and deep level.

Since I’m constantly pushing myself, I have to be able to keep going when I’m tired or don’t feel like it. So what else do I do? I set big goals, I break them down into smaller segments, I reward myself, I build community, and I focus on my “Why?” I also constantly make what I call mental deposits. When I face a tough challenge and push through, I mentally register my “win.” Then when I face the same or similar challenge the next time, I remind myself of my deposit. In other words, I build confidence, stamina and resolve each time I push myself, so the next time becomes easier and I become more self-assured and resilient. I define myself by the way I want to be. I don’t look for all the reasons why I can’t do something, but for the one reason I can. I don’t let the negative voices of others define me or control my thoughts or emotions. In fact, the negative voices of others only inspire me to push through and show them what I’m made of. Speaking of voices, I make sure that I constantly fill my head with positive self-talk and affirmations. Research confirms that the way we talk to ourselves is one of the critical skills that separate the winners from the losers.

For spirituality, my three go-to practices are meditation, mindfulness and gratitude. But don’t get confused when I say practice. It may be 10 seconds or 10 minutes in a given day. Or it could be much longer. The concept that I hold onto is to “do it” and to slip it into my day as I can. I don’t stress over not doing more. I weave it in as I’m able and hold onto as I can. One of the beauties of my Ironman days, which I call “my long days in my outside office,” is that I have the better part of the day left to my own thoughts. It’s a wonderful way to detach from the world. I use much of that time to think, process and still my mind. Regardless of whether you’re an athlete or not, having time spent outdoors has its rewards. A good walk in the woods or along the beach can do so much to center you, boost your energy and connect you to your own spirituality. Leave the headphones at home and be alone with your thoughts. Let them wash over you. Give them space. Be still. Pray or contemplate your wishes and aspirations for a more fulfilling existence. You will feel less frantic, rushed and distracted; and you’ll be able to start living a more intentional life.