In my last post I discussed lessons I’d learned from racing mountain bikes. In this post I’ll show how some of these lessons have translated into improvements in my overall effectiveness.
- Get a good start. In a race the first minutes are critical. A poor start makes it twice as hard to make up for lost time later.
- When starting a new job or a new project I've found it is most effective to put forth maximum effort at the start and then settle into a more sustainable pace.
- Measure. When training for a race I measure my progress over time so I can see if I am on track to meet my goals.
- I focus my energy on areas that I can measure and see improvements on over time.
- I make it a point to understand how my manager will measure my success.
- When reviewing my goals I ensure they are aligned with the goals of my team and the goals of my company. I feel most motivated when I know my efforts are contributing measurably toward larger organizational success.
- Keep energy up. During a race I keep my body well fueled or I am unable to keep up the pace.
- I have found a sustainable pace for myself at work. Long hours may give me a short term productivity boost but if I'm not working at a sustainable pace my productivity suffers in the long term.
- I pay attention to the areas of my life that fuel me. If I don’t make time for family, friends and exercise I lose the driving energy that keeps me engaged at work.
- Recovery. During post-race recovery I give my body everything it asks for. If I’m hungry, I eat till I am full. If I am tired I sleep.
- I listen to my body and give it what it needs. I focus on intuitive eating, intuitive sleeping, and daily exercise. The combination keeps me mentally sharp.
- Frequency. The more often you show up at the starting line the more likely you are to improve and win.
- Success can be as simple as showing up each day and doing my best.
No comments:
Post a Comment