5 Lessons in Productivity
from The 5 Choices Book Tour

Last month I attended The 5 Choices book tour event here in Nashville, hosted by the author, Kory Kogon. It was a fascinating presentation and I took pages (and pages) of notes. Today I’ll share my top 5 insights.

Photo Credit: Kory Kogon

5 Lessons in Productivity

I interviewed Kory on my podcast back in episode 82 and we discussed her book in detail. Be sure to listen to that episode and buy the book to dive in fully.

#1: You Need a Measuring Stick

Kory was quick to define our discussion, which is ultimately about productivity, a set of numbers, measures, and outcomes. Regardless of what we do each day, we are all seeking to do things where we can verify our progress.

Productivity doesn’t mean very much if we can’t look back on what we’ve done and be able to analyze the end results. If you have specific goals you are trying to achieve, you also need a specific plan to measure the work you do along the way.

#2: You Have 3 Problems to Tackle Right Away

Nearly all work in the 21st century requires more brain cells than ever before. The challenge is to use our savvy brains to overcome three distinct problems simply to get to the work that matters:

(1) We have more decisions to make than ever before,
(2) Our attention is under constant attack, and
(3) We have a serious energy crisis.

First, thanks largely to massive technological innovations, we have endless choices about what to do, when to do it, and how to go about it. It is then imperative that we train ourselves how to make smarter decisions faster and faster.

Secondly, adrenaline and dopamine are drugs and we are addicted. Email pings, text message dings, and phone call rings all add up to distractions and a serious lack of attention to our work. Reigning in the chaos is only possible when you develop the most important skill of the 21st century: focus.

Finally, we all need more energy. With it, we are unstoppable. Without it, we can’t even concentrate on the TV shows we’ve been dying to watch. Without an intentional concentration on boosting and sustaining your daily energy, you will waste an incredible amount of time, even if you feel like you’re getting stuff done.

#3: Your Job is Less About Doing and More About Thinking

According to Kory, the real role of creative leaders is to think, innovate, create, and execute. Today, over half of the workforce operates in high-complexity jobs (also known as knowledge workers).

These creative leaders are chosen to make high value decisions in the midst of unlimited choices. Their real work begins when they pause, clarify, and decide. In previous generations the challenge was to do, do more, and then do more on top of that.

Doing is no longer what’s needed. Thinking about what to do is the critical difference maker between high execution and wallowing in overwhelming piles of work.

#4: You Need a Potential-Tapping Plan

Kory made this point clear in the book, and it bears repeating again and again: we all have the potential to do extraordinary things. Seriously. All of us do, including you.

The real question becomes, what is your plan to tap your own potential?

Knowing that your brain is your #1 tool, and your future depends on your ability to think, you must consistently challenge your brain in order to strengthen it.

Begin by defining your potential and the important work you know you need to do. 100% efficiency is not the goal. The goal is understanding the gap between where you are and where you could be, then seeking to close the gap with a plan that optimizes your skills and keeps you lasered in on what matters most.

#5: Stop Throwing Others Under the Distraction Bus

It’s easy to point our fingers at our own distractions: incoming emails, phone calls, and visits from co-workers. But, isn’t it true that YOU are the distraction others are trying to avoid?

This lesson was the most comical to me because it’s so true. We don’t want others knocking us off track, but we inadvertently find ourselves becoming that same person to others around us.

It could seem like a harmless chat around the water cooler, but it’s really just a conversation that needs to wait until later . . . or never.

Ask yourself, how can I stop throwing others under the distraction bus?

How can I ensure others around me are staying productive, which will in turn make me more productive?

Pick One and Go!

Pick just one of the strategies discussed above and make a plan today to implement it.

It doesn’t have to be ambitious or challenging, just something that will solve a problem you are currently facing.

Then, share which strategy you chose in The 5 AM Miracle Community on Facebook.

Next Week

Next week on the blog I will be discussing priorities — or should I say priority.