Achieve your goals without getting distracted

How to start something and finish it,

so you achieve your goals

without getting distracted

Painting the trims on the doors and windows of our home last summer was procrastinated due to another very important project. That project was fishing! It could not be avoided any longer. The time had come this summer to paint the trims. The paint was flaking in a few places which I knew I could remedy with a a bit of effort.

There were a few places on the cladding of our home where the cladding material was raised slightly with a bit of green mould that I planned to clean with the water blaster. I leaned against the house while stooping down to inspect the bottom of a french door. Upon standing back up I could see the indentation of my hand in the cladding. The cladding material was soft! This was going to be a bigger job than I planned and required a bit of research.

The internet was used to research DIY sites regarding how to fix the cladding on our home. The search yielded articles about the material in question. Two things then happened. The first was to discover an article about a class action against the company that manufactured the product used as cladding material on our home. The second thing to occur was a sick cold feeling that ran through my body. I realised we had a home that was going to cost thousands to repair.This was confirmed by a builder and more research. Eventually the quote came in at just over $50,000.

How could this be? $50,000

Initially I felt guilt for choosing fishing over maintenance. However, as I completed more research I determined it had nothing to do with maintenance but a problem with an inferior product used as cladding material.

Good News

Six months passed and our home was almost finished. Covid-19 was upon us and we were wondering what was about to happen. The ‘roofers’ were on their last day of work replacing the cladding when Jacinda Ardern appeared on TV with a special bulletin. Our PM announced we were going into ‘lockdown’.

Our roofers were literally tidying up as I informed them of the PM’s announcement. They were shocked and wondered what is was going to mean to their income. Yes we felt for our roofers however, we I could not believe our good fortune. We were lucky enough to get our home finished before the lockdown. We had planned to replace part of our deck but the timber had not arrived. The timber order arrived the next day as the very last load from the supplier.

The Plan

When we received the quote to replace the cladding I identified the work I could complete. This was work I could do without compromising the Producer Statement. The builder agreed so my project plan commenced.

Staying focussed on the list of jobs meant the close of the project was brought forward. Commitment to the plan resulted in distraction being avoided. We did not have to live in an unfinished house for an unknown period. My heart goes out to those who were not so fortunate.

“The core premise is simple: in an ever-distracted and changing world, the ability to engage in deep work makes you rare and inherently valuable. Furthermore, the quality of your output increases, as does the level of your feelings of purpose and fulfillment.” – Tommy Baker”

Our house situation came to mind as I read the following book;

The 1% Rule – How to Fall in Love With The Process and Achieve Your Wildest Dreams written by Tommy Baker.

Tommy Baker describes this approach as the steady progress of doing meaningful work all of the time. The key is to make daily micro progress towards your goals. I have used this approach in my martial art of Jiu Jitsu, in completing my facilitation work and in securing my qualifications.

Tommy Baker’s book is  based on the 1% Rule

The philosophy behind the 1% Rule is progress. Progress creates motivation to do more. It also draws on the Japanese philosophy of ‘kaizen’ which emphasizes ongoing continuous improvements over the long haul. The 1% Rule suggests you can make daily micro-progress. You combine this with consistency and time from which there is a compound effect. The progress will drive you to achieve your greatest goals.

“Harnessing the power of the 1% Rule, at worst you’re going to create an improvement of 3.65X, but you could potentially create up to 3,700%, or 37X more. The truth is, you probably can’t imagine this right now. It’s too big, bold, and intense. Thirty-seven times better than where you are today is a completely different reality where you’re on fire in every area of life. This results in achievement and fulfillment. People around you keep asking you for the secret because you’re thriving, and they feel it every time they’re around you. Don’t take this lightly. Use it correctly, and you will never be the same.” – Tommy Baker