"I’m a small business. I don’t have much time for strategic work and yet I want to make sure I get systems in place. What do I need to do to make sure my investment in E-Myth Mastery delivers the results so many others have achieved? Is there some formula that produces better results?"
The answer to this question is a lot easier than you might think. Do the work of E-Myth Mastery. The problem is the application of the answer. Every Mastery client I have had the good fortune to coach starts out good intentioned. They plan to do the work and may even tell me when they plan to set aside the 5-8 hours of strategic time the program requires to transform your business and your life. Still most grapple with the forces of urgent getting it done work versus the long term focus they need to change their business, and too often the former wins.
Many of us believe that some are born with greater will and discipline. Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz point out in their book, The Power of Full Engagement, that this probably isn’t so. Research suggests that as little as 5% of our behaviors are consciously self-directed. We are creatures of habit, and 95% of what we do occurs automatically. Much of it in reaction to a demand or one of those all too many, "putting out fires" we respond to.
What's scary about what their book reveals to us who fight this battle to do strategic work, is that unless we have rituals in our lives for doing this, it won’t happen. In fact it can’t happen. Why are so many people overweight in this country? They have simply decided not to exercise and to eat that which is convenient for them. I sympathize with them, and I can sympathize with any of my clients who fail to establish a ritual for working ON their business.
If you don’t believe in the importance of rituals just look at the people you most admire. Most of them have what you may have thought to believe is an uncanny ability for self-discipline. But if you examine them more closely you will find what they have tapped into is the value and importance of ritual. You have that capacity and in fact are engaging in it perhaps right now. Why did you decide to read this newsletter? Is it something you do each week, or is this a time frame you choose to read material like this. Brushing your teeth, exercising at a time or place, reading before you go to bed, your weekly church activities, or golf game with friends are all good examples of rituals you have placed in your life, and these pull us rather than push us into action.
Reality says we have the capacity for very few conscious acts of self-control in a day. If you had to think about brushing your teeth each day and it wasn’t a habit how many of us would do it? Have you ever met someone who doesn’t have that habit? Every act of self control uses up the limited reservoir of energy we have to do another activity. Fortunately it is possible to build this just as you would a muscle.
If working strategically is not something you do as a ritual, I recommend you begin slowly. Try starting with one day for an hour or more. A weekend when you don’t have interruptions might be a good place to start. Then slowly build your muscle for this self control issue. Start doing it during the week, then during your work day and slowly you will discover you have started the path toward a ritual which will pay dividends far into the future.
One word of caution, don’t get discourage and do consider starting slowly at first. We’ve all failed at resolutions, perhaps the best example for many of us is our New Years’ Resolutions we make each year. We may be take on too much too quickly. We overwhelm our limited supply of will and self-discipline and the result is our supply is ,, , depleted. Unfortunately this means we not only fail to stick to our plan we also end up believing that it is impossible to change our habits.
Focus on one significant change at a time, setting a reachable goal. Growth and change won’t occur unless you push past your comfort zone, but pushing too hard increases the likelihood that you will give up. A small victory in progressive steps is far better in building your confidence.
Build a habit of working ON your business and your life by doing strategic work daily and if not daily at least weekly. It will change your business and your life. It’s the one formula you have complete control over to take back your life.
