In today’s lesson, you’ll learn six additional methods to help improve your follow through.
Video Lesson
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Time: 4:52
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Click full screen (lower right corner) to increase the size
Lesson Summary
Method 5: The “Pull the trigger” technique
You know the feeling: when you have a great idea that will change your life for the better—and you stash it away, never to be seen again.
Don’t let this happen!
If you have a great idea:
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Act immediately (if it’ll take less than 5 minutes) OR
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Add it to your kanban
For example, I’m lousy at emailing friends. So now when the thought strikes me, I email them right away.
Method 6: The Woody Allen technique
Woody Allen famously said,
“80 percent of success is showing up.”
It’s the same with following through: Don’t worry about finishing; just show up.
For example, when I don’t feel like writing, I tell myself “I’ll write for one minute.” That’s it. Often, I’ll end up writing for 20 minutes or longer.
Same thing with exercising. Don’t worry about doing a 90-minute routine. Just put your workout clothes on and walk around the house. Chances are, you’ll shame yourself into working out.
Method 7: Stack your benefits
Here’s another way to follow through: next time you’re feeling lazy, picture the benefits of following through.
For example, picture—as specifically as possible—how clear-headed, well-rested, and productive you’ll feel once you finish your task.
Then imagine what will happen if you don’t complete the task: how guilty you’ll feel, how you’re letting someone down, or how the work will just pile up, making it harder for you to get ahead.
By stacking your benefits, you have a clear image of why you should follow though. With these images in mind, use the Woody Allen technique to show up—and start seeing progress right away.
Method 8: The 5x method
This works great for overcoming bad habits. Instead of saying “I’ll just have one” force yourself to say “I’ll have five—or nothing.”
Cigarettes are a great example. Instead of saying “I’ll just have one cigarette” say “I’ll either smoke five cigarettes, back-to-back, or none at all.” More often than not, you won’t smoke any because five feels like overkill.
See how the 5x method works? It’s pretty sneaky. You aren’t saying “I can’t smoke” (because “I can’t” is lousy for following through). Instead, have a choice which allows you to assert your autonomy and decide which option is right for you. Plus, you’ve “stacked the deck” and made not smoking seem easier than smoking five cigarettes. Powerful stuff.
Method 9: The progress bar
Use a progress bar to track your, um, progress. This visualization helps you stay motivated because you see progress. Fundraisers use the “temperature” gauge—that measures how much money they’ve currently raised—to convince people to contribute more and hit the goal.
Your kanban is the perfect progress bar. As you complete tasks, move them to the “Done” column—and marvel at your progress. I’m telling you, the kinesthetic thrill of moving items to the “Done” column never gets old—especially when it’s positively impacting your life!
Method 10: The “Before That” technique
When tempted to do something, say “OK, I’ll do X… but before that, I’ll do Y.” Often, your craving will disappear by the time you get back.
For example, I decided to cut back on the booze. When I had a craving for a beer—or single malt Scotch—I would think to myself “Sure, I’ll have a beer—but first I’ll go for a short walk.” If I still wanted a beer when I got back, I had one. But more often than not, I forgot all about it.
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