This week’s focus: The desire for instant results in both personal and business life is endemic. Want to lose weight, find a new relationship, get rich or become a social media star? No problem, there are millions of people promoting something to help you do just that overnight. Want a killer new product, a million more customers, happier colleagues? That’s fine, there are countless ‘silver bullet’ and ‘quick win solutions’ to help your business make that happen.
In fact, there are only two problems with these shortcuts and ‘quick wins.’ First, they’re not that quick; they generally take a lot more effort and time than you initially believe. Second, and most importantly, they rarely lead to genuine wins. If the win was so easy and attainable, you would probably be already doing it, as would your competitors.
In fact, the keys to success are a lot more mundane, though ultimately far more rewarding. Three capabilities are needed:
- You first need the insight to work out what your key priorities really are and the ability to make clear choices.
- You also need to be willing to put in the time and effort, week in and week out, over a sustained period (probably years) to build something that is distinctively different, better and advantaged.
- Success is not just about doing stuff, it’s about learning from what you’ve done, making adjustments and trying again, over and over.
If you’re not prepared to make a priority a three-year commitment, you’re probably not that serious about it. What ‘quick win’ actions are you currently pursuing when you should be focusing on the things that will really make a difference to your business or your life?
Off The Record: Paths of Victory by Bob Dylan
The trail is dark and dusty
The road, it’s kinda tough
But the good road is a-waiting
And boys, it ain’t far off
© Stuart Cross 2019. All rights reserved.