If you want to achieve your life goals, you must figure out a way to make execution effortless

“To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.” — Steve Jobs

If you want transformation in your life, you have to execute.

You have to move from head knowledge to actually implementing the ideas you’ve learned. If you don’t execute, nothing happens. Your life will not change. You will not be better than you were yesterday.

To execute, you must develop systems that will make execution effortless.

You need a system to execute your priorities every day.

To execute, you must develop systems that will make execution effortless.

You need a system to execute your priorities every day.

A system that will allow you to break down your decade-long goals into annual goals, and eventually into your daily tasks.

You are three times more likely to achieve your goals by stating your implementation intentions. You can use the 3×3 Achievement System to reach your life goals by breaking down your:

• Quarterly Big 3 Goals
• Weekly Big 3 Outcomes
• Daily Big 3 Tasks

By doing this, you ensure that you are doing at least one thing each day toward your long-term goals. And by taking one step towards your big goals every day, you’ll soon achieve your life goals.

Distraction is the main reason most people don’t execute well.

Distractions steal your time and clutter your focus. As such, to be successful in reaching your life goals, you must be brutally focused. You must minimize everything that does not advance your long-term vision daily.

Staying focused can be challenging, particularly given that we often have more things to do than time to do them.

So, instead of figuring out how to get more done, you should be asking, “What work is the best possible use of my time?”

“You can do anything you want, but not everything you want.” — David Allen

So how can you make execution effortless?

Here are 5 ways you can do this:

1. Find a System that works for you

You must start by developing a system that works for you. This must include writing down your goals and clearly documenting what you want to accomplish.

I use the 3×3 Achievement System discussed above and have found that it has dramatically improved my results in completing the things that matter most to me.

2. Regularly assess how you spend your time and energy

Do this by reviewing your calendars, writing things down, and keeping a journal.

I use a one-page calendar schedule where I write on a daily basis my top 3 90-day goals, my top 3 30-day goals, my top 3 weekly goals, and my top 3 daily tasks.

I find that when I write my goals down daily, it keeps them front and center on my mind. It keeps me motivated.

At the end of each day, I assess how I spent my time and make important notes on what went well and what I can improve.

3. Align your daily tasks to your goals

Always ask yourself, “Is there a way that this contributes to my long-term goals?” If the answer is “yes,” then all good. If the answer is anything other than “yes,” then delegate, defer or delete.

The use of the one-page calendar schedule helps me. As I write my goals down daily, it keeps them in focus, and it helps me align my daily tasks to my 30-day and 90-day goals.

4. Be ruthless with accomplishing your daily big three tasks

Doing this will give you massive momentum toward your long-term goals. If you get your big three daily tasks figured out, start with the hardest task, and do nothing else until you complete it. Then move on to the next task.

I have found this very helpful. It gives me great momentum toward getting important things completed. Even on days when I get off track and lose focus on my top 3 tasks, I still manage to get at least 1 or 2 of my top 3 tasks completed.

Here, it helps to be very specific on the tasks to be completed. For example, “Complete the first draft of chapter one of my eBook”.

5. Invest in self-awareness

Whatever that is for you. Spiritual, meditation, books — these things will help you figure out who you are, where you’re going, why it matters, what matters, and what doesn’t.

Do this every day and you will magically find the motivation to drive you toward your goals faster.

“One can steal ideas, but no one can steal execution or passion.” — Tim Ferriss

By regularly assessing how you spend your time, you may find the following as examples of things you can cut out of your life:

• People that distract you from your long-term vision
• Events/conferences and social gatherings that don’t inspire and add value to your long-term vision
• Social media is an addictive waste of time and energy
• Checking your messages and emails every time your phone beeps
• Picking your phone every time it rings
• Excessive addiction to news media
• Doing chores you don’t enjoy when you can pay others to do them
• Watching excessive TV
• Wasting too much time learning and doing tasks that someone else can do, particularly tasks you don’t enjoy doing
• And many more that I can’t list here…

“Never do anything that someone else can or will do, when there is so much to be done that others cannot or will not do.” — Dawson Trotman

In Conclusion

Mastering how to execute will make a significant difference in your life.

If you want to accomplish your goals in life, you must execute the plans you’ve put together.

Without execution, nothing changes.

Strategy equals execution. All the great ideas and visions in the world are worthless if they can’t be implemented rapidly and efficiently. Good leaders delegate and empower others liberally, but they pay attention to details, every day.” — Colin Powell