All About Brain Dump…And Why You Need it in Your Day
Apr 25, 2016

 

 

I define a successful day as one where I get a lot of stuff done, I don't feel overwhelmed by it, and I have fun doing it. Simple in theory, very difficult in execution, right?

There is a great way I start my day which helps me clear my head and begin the day with a concrete idea of where I'm going. I'm talking about Brain Dump.

What is brain dump? Well, it's simply this. Taking 5-10 minutes every morning (wherever is convenient for you) and writing down everything that's in your head. Get it all out on paper and then have a good look at it. If you look at the list and aren't overcome with a tightening in your chest, then this list is a good indicator of your to-do list for the day. If you get it all out and panic sets in, then this enables you to see things in a concrete way and allows you to break down your items one-by-one so you can decide which items can be put off, passed on or delegated to achieve success.

Try it for a week. You won't be disappointed. And - if you need some help with planning in the long-term - check out our free 90-Day Planning tool to help get you started. Make it a great day 🙂

Business Lessons From the Bike Trail #1 – Knowing Where to Focus
Mar 30, 2016

 

 

There's a basic object to enjoying a safe ride on a mountain bike: Look where your going.

While the same can be said for business, it's amazing how many people focus on the obstacles in front of them instead of focusing on the track, but when you fixate on the obstacles which are in your way - they tend to magnify - which makes your changes of hitting one fairly high.

The same goes for them you start riding faster on the trail. The faster you go (ie: the more you grow) the further down the track you need to look. Just don't look so far down the track that you get blindsided from something you didn't see just up ahead.

Have a think about your business. How far down the track are you looking? What obstacles do you face that you could find the answer to if you just ventured to look a little beyond them? Are you getting blindsided by other things that are stopping you from making progress?

If so, you may need a growth check. Take our free 7-minute test to find out how to sail past the things holding you back and create the business you dream of.

The Secret to Managing Attitudes at Work
Mar 28, 2016

 

The number one stressors in business are (and may always be) money, and people. In fact, you likely know first hand how much emotional energy and loss of team synergy is wasted on a member of your team that just doesn't fit the bill.

It turns out - the key to managing attitudes in the workplace is as simple as communication and follow-up. Sounds easy, right? Well it can be more difficult that you expect to implement, but once the expectations are set, it can become remarkably easy to keep momentum in your team.

The tools we need start with creating our core value and culture. You see, if expectations for every member of your organization aren't clear, and we don't hold people accountable, you will always have an organizational culture that is driven by the quality of people within it.

A good starting point is to check out "The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business", by Patrick Lencioni it is a fantastic read about the concrete advantage that can be gained by having a healthy organization.

 

How To Know When It’s Time To Hire
Mar 7, 2016

When is the Right Time to Hire?

You may have noticed you've been getting busier, and it would be great to have an extra person or two to take some things off your plate. But what things? How many people? Before you throw money at the problem and hire another team member into your midst, you need to consider your systems and how they can be fine-tuned first.
  1. Consider the 80:20 principle: That 20% of your activities account for 80% of your results, so you are certainly going to want to concentrate on those items and pass a hat to someone else, so you can focus on growth. Have a look around at the resources you have first, to see if this delegation can be done internally. There are also many ways you can implement technology to help you do more with less.
  2. Determine if you can afford 60% of a new hire's salary. In theory, the new hire will bring the remaining 40% of their salary to the table themselves through efficiency and capacity.
  3. Consider the burn rate. When hiring, you have to factor in 3-6 months of overhead costs while your new hire is getting up to speed enough to work at a higher level (and achieve financial results for your organization). Ensure you have enough to funds to cover this transition, and that you have the training to support their development.

If you aren't sure where you sit, or whether your growth profile will support a new hire, take our free 7-minute test to find out.

Are You Feeling Dangerous or Defeated?
Jun 29, 2015

When you experienced your most recent success—think back to how you were feeling leading up to that event.

Were you feeling skeptical, afraid, or tentative? Or were the feelings more like 'confident, excited, anticipation'?

It might sound like a silly question. You might be thinking "well of course I was feeling good".

Well, the next question is "How important were those feelings in creating those successes?"

This second question might be harder to answer, but in my experience, most people acknowledge that when you feel good and are thinking positive, good and positive things happen. Think to a time recently when you met with someone who was trying to influence you in some way (you shouldn't need to think too hard, we are always trying to influence each other in same way), how did their energy (an outward projection of how they are feeling internally) affect how you felt about them and what they were communicating? Did it affect you? Of course it did. It always does. You tend to get a 'feeling' about someone or a concept. How much you tune into that feeling will vary from person to person, but there is always a level of subconscious intuition going on.

The same goes for you. How you feel and think affects how others feel about you and how they are influenced by what you are communicating. Whether you are working on developing a team member, or trying to put a deal together, how you feel in the moment has a massive impact.

One of the philosophies I train my clients on is this:

Your Results = (Your Skillset x Your Mindset x Your Activity Level) x Your Current State.

This overriding variable in results is how you are feeling in the moment. So here’s my question to you: How do you need to be feeling to maximise the chance for success? And how do you check on this and manage it to work for you?

Here's how I do it:

Each morning and throughout the day, I ask myself the simple question ‘Am I feeling Dangerous or Defeated?’ These are obviously words that resonate with me, but you get the idea. If the answer to that question is not "Dangerous" (meaning I'm ready to blast through brick walls) then I've got a few rituals I use to get into that state. I'm not always looking for a 10/10 on Dangerous scale but I definitely want to be at an 8 or higher.

If I come back with a 7 or below, here are my go-to actions to boost me up a few notches:

  • Revisit my vision and why I'm doing what I'm doing. This is by far the most powerful and sustaining of all the strategies. Keep in mind, this will only work for you if you are extremely clear on your vision (what you are working to create) and why you are doing it. See Simon Sinek's TED talk 'Start with WHY' to learn more about this.
  • Review my plan. Similar to the point above, but my plan is a shorter timeframe (3-12 months) vs. my vision, which is years out.
  • Think about how I want to be remembered by my kids. This is another plan that is similar to the first point. It is a real motivator for me.
  • Exercise. This can vary between a full workout or a 5 minute walk. Usually the secret is to get the blood moving and get out from in front of the computer screen.
  • Listen to something inspiring or educational. I love listening to interviews with successful people. I also have some go-to audio books and books that lift me up a couple of notches. If you'd like some recommendations, comment below or email me jamie@jamiecunningham.com
  • Coffee. Notice this one's down on the list. For me, if I'm in a low mental state and I have coffee, sometimes it can just make the negative thoughts happen faster (not good), so this one is used more if my energy feels sluggish. Again, not one I aim to be dependent on.

If you've got some strategies to add here, I'd love to hear them. Comment below and share your own successes and strategies.

Make it a great day!