Becoming "Effective" Not Just "Busy"

Hello friends,

There is so much noise in the world nowadays with us all chasing things like:

  • entrepreneurship

  • how we work

  • productivity

  • performance

  • goals

  • accomplishment

……if you are anything like me

it can be both exhilarating and exhausting!

Me:

 DIVING IN 

to learn about productivity

and growing my business

👇👇👇👇👇

Also Me:

 90 minutes later 

after consuming

 180 pieces of content 

for 30 seconds each

👇👇👇👇👇



So frustrating!

The point is that we can so easily get caught up in the “shiny object syndrome” and lose sight of what our original purpose is.

At the end of the day, we are all trying to achieve our desired outcome.  

As I focus on helping other Neurodivergent entrepreneurs grow their businesses,

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be:

“EFFECTIVE”

ef·fec·tive

/əˈfektiv/

adjective

1.

successful in producing a desired or intended result

This is a topic I plan to explore much more

in the coming weeks but for today,

let’s start with a summary and key takeaways

from the most famous book I know on the topic:

Habit 1:

Be Proactive

Summary: Being proactive is about taking responsibility for your own life. It means recognizing that you have the power to choose your responses to any situation, rather than reacting passively.

  • Key Takeaway: Take control of your actions and reactions.

  • How It Helps You: Builds self-awareness and empowers you to create positive change.

  • Something You Could Try: Identify one area where you tend to react negatively and consciously choose a proactive response next time.

Habit 2:

Begin with the End in Mind

Summary: Beginning with the end in mind is about setting a clear vision for what you want to achieve before you start. It's about defining your goals and aspirations, guiding your actions toward meaningful outcomes.

  • Key Takeaway: Define your goals and vision before taking action.

  • How It Helps You: Provides clarity and direction, increasing motivation and focus.

  • Something You Could Try: Spend time visualizing your ideal outcome for a project or personal goal, then outline the steps needed to achieve it.

Habit 3:

Put First Things First

Summary: Putting first things first is about prioritizing what matters most in your life. It involves focusing on activities that align with your values and long-term goals, rather than getting caught up in the busyness of everyday tasks.

  • Key Takeaway: Prioritize tasks based on importance, not urgency.

  • How It Helps You: Reduces stress, increases productivity, and fosters a sense of accomplishment.

  • Something You Could Try: Use Covey's time management matrix to categorize your tasks, then focus on Quadrant II activities - important but not urgent.

Habit 4:

Think Win-Win

Introduction: Thinking win-win is about seeking mutually beneficial outcomes in your interactions. It's about fostering collaboration, cooperation, and a mindset of abundance rather than competition.

  • Key Takeaway: Seek mutually beneficial solutions in interactions.

  • How It Helps You: Builds trust, strengthens relationships, and fosters a collaborative mindset.

  • Something You Could Try: Practice finding common ground in negotiations or conflicts to reach win-win outcomes.

Habit 5:

Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Summary: Seeking first to understand is about empathetically listening to others before expressing your own perspective. It's about cultivating genuine understanding and connection through active listening.

  • Key Takeaway: Listen empathically to others before expressing your own viewpoint.

  • How It Helps You: Enhances communication, fosters empathy, and promotes deeper connections.

  • Something You Could Try: Practice active listening by paraphrasing others' statements to ensure understanding before responding.

Habit 6:

Synergize

Summary: Synergizing is about combining the strengths and perspectives of individuals to create something greater than the sum of its parts. It's about embracing diversity and collaboration to achieve shared goals.

  • Key Takeaway: Embrace collaboration and teamwork for greater effectiveness.

  • How It Helps You: Sparks synchronicity and invites “coincidences” that we could not logically or analytically predict

  • Something You Could Try: Initiate a group brainstorming session to generate creative solutions to a problem or project.

Habit 7:

Sharpen the Saw

Summary: Sharpening the saw is about investing in yourself and your personal growth. It involves taking time to recharge, renew, and develop your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

  • Key Takeaway: Invest in self-renewal and continuous improvement.

  • How It Helps You: Makes you better at everything you do

  • Something You Could Try: Dedicate time each week to engage in activities that promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

In the end, it’s how EFFECTIVE we are that will be the key to getting us where we want to go.

Do you want to be more effective in your business and personal life?

Soon I am launching the

Accountable community

to help neurodivergent entrepreneurs

become more effective and

build our businesses together.

To learn more and join the waitlist click here:

Much love,

Ian

Did this newsletter keep your attention?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Join the conversation

or to participate.