167: How to Get More of What You Want [Podcast]

Company of One with Dale Callahan

Want to know how to get more of what you want? Last week we talked about the question: ”Is it OK to want more?” so today we will tackle how to get more. Let's dive into where we left off and how to get what you really want. The secret that always works. It works for individuals, companies, and teams. My example of how to get more will use a popular weight lifting app- StrongLifts First the simple formula. To reach a goal and get more, you have to have a few tools. First is the goal Second is a simple set of actions to follow that are preplanned. Third is a set of measures - so that you know you are making progress. Fourth is the time to work on the goal Here is how Stronglifts works. Goal - Get stronger (simple) Actions - Turn on the Stronglifts app and follow directions. (No thinking now) Measures - Tracked in the Stronglifts app, you can see your progress. Tracks one thing, weight lifted for each exercise. Time - Go to gym every Monday/Wed/Friday at lunchtime How to Get More - Here are how the steps work for you First, decide what you really want. I asked this last week in “I want more. Is that OK?” Think to the core. Many might say "I want more money." But think deeper - what does the money bring you? Freedom? Security? Independence? Ability to quit your day job? Get clear on what you really want. Because as we push to find out how to get more, we want to make sure we are really getting more of the right thing - the core issue. But - do not spend too much time. Clarity tends to come with action - so make your best stab at it and then move on. You can revisit this later. Second, create a set of SIMPLE actions you need to take. The obstacles can be a real help here. The key is to make these steps simple. This is especially true for the next three steps. For example, painting a room would involve 1) getting paint stick with colors, 2) getting a few samples, 3) painting them on the wall. Simple - but moves you toward the goal. Third, track the leading and lagging measures to know if you are succeeding—myFitnessPal is another good example of this. A leading measure is calories per day. A lagging measure is weight. But the key is the leading measure. Decide what they are, find a SIMPLE way to track them, and make them visual. You need to see simple progress. Fourth, put time on your calendar to do the work. Here are hints for success: Plan the steps before you do them. Once you start taking action, your focus should be to do the work. At the end of your work time, capture anything to track. Like MyFitnesspal, capture what you ate at the end of the meal. At the end of your work, decide the next steps. The key to success at anything is execution. Good planning can help, but the execution is key. You can execute a bad plan and still get results. But you cannot plan without execution and get anything but empty dreams. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my Company of One? If you’re not, I encourage you to do that today, so you don’t miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If you like what you hear, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast. I also love reading them and connecting with you. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you! Links mentioned in this episode Is it OK to want more? StrongLifts App MyFitnessPal Company of One Contact Dale Callahan Master of Engineering Management in Information Engineering and Management