As the first half of 2014 comes to a close, most people tell me they’re are amazed the year is half gone. It’s right about now when we all have an important call to make. Depending on what’s happened the past 6 months, here’s how the 2 most common scenarios play out.
1. Not where you wanted to be.
If you’re off target after the first 6 months, most people lower their original estimates for the year, fearing the risk of failure. Some will decide more time off would help to “clear the mind” or “regroup”…
2. Better than expected.
Great job! You’re already more than half way there. Hitting your target this year will be a walk in the park. Some will decide now is a good time to schedule a vacation, or at least a few extra 3 day weekends this summer. After all, you deserve it!
The reality of both.
In both cases, this type of blown call is the reason so many will finish yet another year
being…average. When things seem to be taking a little more time, more effort, or require more sacrifices than they had planned, instead of rising to the challenge, they believe the endless list of excuses circulating around the office water cooler.
On the flip side, when things are going well, people forget how important it is to drop the hammer and ride that wave for everything it’s worth. It’s like the infomercial disclaimer “past performance is no guarantee of future results”. You can’t coast your way to a record year.
What call will you make?
If you’re way ahead this year, the information that’s next really isn’t for you. Just get back to
doing whatever it is that’s working so well and don’t slow down.
Now if you’re like most people, you’re probably off target 5, 10, or even 20% from your original goal. Here’s the good news. There’s plenty of time for a successful comeback!
How to make a successful comeback with 3 easy steps.
1. Commitment.
No one get’s a Superbowl ring for leading the game at halftime. In fact, roughly 20% of the time, the team that’s behind after 2 quarters ends up winning the game. With half the year gone already, it’s time to get serious and commit to yourself.
Take into consideration “Mondays”. Mondays are exactly 20% of a 5 day work week, yet are the number one excuse for calling out, slacking off, or just claiming you have “a case of the
Mondays”. Or perhaps “Hump day” is your favorite excuse to knock off early. Then we have both thirsty and throw back Thursdays. The first consumes our afternoons on Facebook and the latter running out early to get a seat at the bar. Then it’s TGIF, if not a 3 day weekend… and I doubt most would ever consider getting caught up on a Saturday.
You see, Sunday was only a day of rest for those that got the job done in the first 6. They say the heavens and the earth were created in just 6 days, so that deserves a break!
2. Managing the clock
We all have the same amount of time each day. The more we can accomplish during the money hours, the better. As hard as it may seem at first, we have to separate ourselves from the slackers. Time wasters and cute little sayings will ultimately cause people to settle for just another average year. Keep your hopes and dreams front and center and don’t let distractions slow you down. For the rest of the week, write down each time you fall victim to, or avoid a time waster. Instead of going to get that cup of coffee and a little small talk before making the next call, just make the call! Congratulations, you just picked up 10 minutes. The next time someone wants to tell you all their juicy details from the weekend, or the latest office drama, tell them to hold that thought until after money hours or over. They probably won’t thank you, but they should.
The list of time traps in the workplace today is endless! From Facebook stalking, online games, YouTube kittens, gossip, snacks, smoke breaks (especially if you don’t smoke) and on and on and on. If people are content to waste 8 hours at work, they certainly have plenty of choices…
3. Purpose
What get’s you out of bed in the morning? Look, we all need some time off, time with our families and time just to goof around and have fun. That being said, if you’re going to even bother getting out of your nice warm bed and leave your loved ones at home, why not get the most out of each day possible. Doing so means you can have a better life and have the money to enjoy the things you love most when you’re together. Having a real purpose to focus on will make the tough choices and heavy lifting feel much easier in the long run.
Like anything, this is a habit and it will take some time to firmly establish. Don’t give up! Before you know it, you’ll be amazed at the difference you’ve created for yourself and busy enjoying your new found success with your friends and family.
Here’s to a great 2014!
Chris Pyle
cpyle@apsdealerservices.com
