3-2-1…ACTION! Very few other words can bring about the sense of urgency that the word “action” conveys. Think of athletes at the starting gate, ready to jump. They have a singular focus that requires them to take action in order to win. That same focus is required in the business world in order to achieve.

The choice of action is the second of the “big three” (attitude, action, accountability) life choices that form the foundation of achievement. But just like attitude, action is a choice. Your choice of actions and activities, whether effective or ineffective, will impact your level of achievement and require your consistent, daily management.

How can you determine whether an action is effective or ineffective? Simply by the end result – effective actions always deliver desirable results! In my experiences working with high achievers, I find a common misconception regarding the choice of action. Many high achievers overwhelm themselves with more than they can do and then “beat themselves up” for not getting it all done.

What they really need to focus on is this:

It’s not how much you do, but the effectiveness of what you do that really counts!

That means balancing the effective activities – those that support the accomplishment of your goals – with the ineffective ones – those that need to be done but are not directly related to your achievement. For example, the dishwasher needs emptying and the car needs to be washed, but neither will advance your future vision of financial independence.

Be prepared to fight your natural instincts on this, though. If your choice of action is left unmanaged, your natural tendency is to allow your day to be managed by your fears and comfort zones. This mindset leads you to believe that the necessary items on your to-do list are just as important as the necessary effective actions that help you reach your goals, and nothing could be further from the truth!

Admittedly, the most effective actions are usually not the most comfortable activities. But don’t let that stop you from doing them. The underlying foundation of achievement is the consistency of your daily, effective actions. Now read that sentence again and really let it sink in.

So how do you keep yourself from falling into comfort zones that will just serve to keep you where you are?

Your first step in managing effective daily actions is to identify the KPIs (key performance indicators) for your given field. For example, the KPIs for a salesman at a car dealership would be effective advertising, call lists, developing call lists into interested buyers, developing interested buyers into qualified prospects, and appointments to show cars to qualified prospects.

If these five KPIs are performed effectively in sufficient numbers, the end result will be car sales. This, of course, is a simplified example for the purpose of demonstration, but any achievement goal can be broken into the key indicators of performance using this same system. When you know the right things (KPIs) that define goal-directed effectiveness, it is easier to manage your effective actions.

You can now design your daily actions around the KPIs in sufficient numbers to hit your desired goals.

As you know, achievement is the process of doing the right things consistently over a sustained period of time. In other words, with KPIs in mind, achievement happens moment by moment, one day at a time!

If you are ready to achieve,

1) identify the key performance indicators for your goals
2) design your daily actions around those KPIs
3) keep doing this everyday!

When you know the right things to do, and you have identified the key performance indicators, simply exercise your power of choice and consistently do the right things. Sounds simple, but it works.

It has worked for my clients time and time again, and it will work for you – get ready to achieve!

Author Bio: Inspiring genuine growth and achievement in leaders, David Byrd has 30 years of experience working with top business executives and their organizations. He is a master of effective leadership and works closely with leaders worldwide to maximize their leadership potential. For more information about The Next-Level Achievement System® or David’s book, Achievement – A Proven System For Next Level Growth, visit http://www.authorsup.com/David-Byrd.

Category: Business Management
Keywords: business growth, achievement, leadership, success, self improvement, KPI\’s, choice of action