xiii we need proven tools that can help people focus their energies strategically and tactically without
letting anything fall through the cracks.
p.3 It's possible for a person to have an overwhelming number of things to do and still function productively
with a clear head and a positive sense of relaxed control.
p.7 The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators. -Edward Gibbon
p.12,13 A basic truism I have discovered over twenty years of coaching and training is that most of the
stress people experience comes from inappropriately managed commitments they make or accept... In order to deal effectively
with all of that, you must first identify and collect all those things that are "ringing your bell" in some way, and then
plan how to handle them.
p.16 It's a waste of time and energy to keep thinking about something that you make no progress on.
p.23 Most people have been in some version of this mental stress state so consistently, for so long, that
they don't even know they're in it. Like gravity, it's ever present - so much so that those who experience it usually aren't
even aware of the pressure.
p.62-65 Purpose
It never hurts to ask the 'why?' question...
It Defines Success... We love to play games, and we like to win, or be in a position where we could
win. And if you're not totally clear about the purpose of what you're doing, you have no chance of winning. Purpose defines
success. It's the primal reference point for any investment of time and energy...
It Creates Decision-Making Criteria... It all comes down to purpose. Given what you're trying to accomplish,
are these resource investments required, and if so, which ones? There's no way to know until the purpose is clarified.
It Aligns Resources... the answer depends on what we're really trying to accomplish...
It Motivates... Let's face it: if there's no good reason to be doing something, it's not worth doing...
It Clarifies Focus... "What are we really trying to accomplish here?" ...
It Expands Options... When you really know the underlying "why"... it expands your thinking about how to
make the desired result happen.
p.65-66 Is your purpose clear and specific enough? If you're truly experiencing the benefits
of a purposeful focus - motivation, clarity, decision-making criteria, alignment, and creativity - then your purpose probably
is specific enough. But many "purpose statements" are too vague to produce such results... In other words, if
you don't really know when you've met your purpose or when you're off track, you don't have a viable directive.
p.67 We know that the focus we hold in our minds affects what we perceive and how we perform... My interest
lies in providing a model for focus that is dynamic in a practical way... When you focus on something... that focus
instantly creates ideas and thought patterns you wouldn't have had otherwise.
p.68 Just like a computer, your brain has a search function - but it's even more phenomenal
than a computer's. It seems to be programmed by what we focus on and, more importantly, what we identify
with... We notice only what matches our internal belief systems and identified contexts... something automatic and
extraordinary happens in your mind when you create and focus on a clear picture of what you want... you won't
see how to do it until you see yourself doing it.
p.69 One of the most powerful skills in the world of knowledge work, and one of the most important to hone
and develop, is creating clear outcomes... Here are three basic steps for developing a vision:
1 View the project from beyond the completion date.
2 Envision "WILD SUCCESS"! (Suspend "Yeah, but...")
3 Capture features, aspects, qualities you imagine in place.
p.86 You increase your productivity and creativity exponentially when you think about the right
things at the right time and have the tools to capture your value-added thinking.
p.96 If your filing system isn't fast, functional, and fun, you'll resist the whole process.
