Process Yields Progress - Part 3

Copyright (c) 2010 Nick Nanton

PROP-UP YOUR PROCESS WITH PRINCIPLES

When I was thinking about whether or not to accept that speaking engagement, I didnt think about making important new contacts or generating more business. I concentrated on the expense, the work and the inconvenience. Obviously, big mistake on my part. Fortunately, I got back on my thousand-mile road because I remembered that the process didnt exist for its own sake the process brought results!!!

And thats what we all have to remember. We must continually perfect the process and sticking to that process is more important than anything elsebecause the process gets us to the goal line.

When Coach Wooden gave his annual socks and shoes speech, some older players would start to feel insulted that he was still teaching the ins and outs of footwear. They didnt want to listen to it all over again.

But consider this do you think Coach Wooden really wanted to tell players how to put on their socks and shoes every single year?

Dont you think maybe one season, he said to himself, Maybe I dont have to do this anymore. Maybe these college kids can figure this out for themselves. Im willing to wager he did and that he also went back to doing it because he once again realized that this was his process, it worked and he should stick to it. and because it was also important to his players process.

After the newness of whatever youre in the middle of wears off, its tempting to forget all the building blocks that got you there. Its easy to be distracted by turn-offs on the thousand mile road and take another route that will take you somewhere you really dont want to go.

Both behaviors are dangerous to your business. Sticking to your the principles that you used to develop your process helps you avoid them. Maybe you have a choice between a lunch with somebody you like but isnt going to do much for your operation and somebody else you dont know that well but could do an awful lot for you. Youre better off seizing the second opportunity, even though youll have to invest some time and energy in getting to know this person and selling them on you and your business.

Making productive choices that will further your process means youll keep getting the results you want. And, hey, you can always have lunch with the other friend on a day when there isnt a conflict.

When the pay-off isnt necessarily in sight, you simply have to trust that what youre doing will work and that your process will, in fact, see you through to the other side.

I will leave you with some very wise words from Coach Wooden: Dont be too concerned with regard to things over which you have no control, because that will eventually have an adverse effect on things over which you have control.

You have control over what you do and how you do it. You cant control the outside factors. Even if youve made your process the most powerful it can be, it still wont work every single time. But if you fixate on the things that could go against you, youll have a hard time achieving what you want to achieve.

Life is all about making the odds work in your favor and having a process that will allow you to power through to the end of whatever road youre on means that chances are youll get what youre after.

So pull on those socks and lace up those shoes the right way so you can win the game!