You’ve Got to Think About the Big Things

“You’ve got to think about the big things while you’re doing the small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” – Alvin Toffler

How can you and I possibly use this leadership quote?

Make yourself a Self-Starter.

This is a very simple little tool but don’t be fooled by its simplicity.

You and I know that when we are reminded of something, we are more likely to do it. It’s not that you forget, but other things have a way of interrupting. It’s when you forget that the day goes by and you haven’t done the things you should have done. And that’s when you become frustrated.

Now, you can try and remember what to do. You can put it on your “to do” list. You can write it on a piece of paper and put it on your wall. These are good ideas. But how will you be sure to remember?

And when you do remember, at the end of every working day, when you know that you’ve been working on your main goals, you will feel so much more fulfilled.

This is how you do it. Make yourself a Self-Starter. Let me help you see how this relates to Alvin Toffler’s quote on leadership.

In its simplest form, this is a piece of durable cardboard which will fit into your wallet, purse or pocket. If you want, you can buy a small laminating pouch and laminator. Make sure you can carry it with you.

On the self-starter, write down your goals. Don’t write down goals which are so obvious that there is no need to remind yourself of them. Write down your main goals. If you like, on the other side you can draw or print a picture of your vision, where you really want to be.

Napoleon Hill, author of “Think and Grow Rich” used one of these and apparently he got the idea from Andrew Carnegie. So, we are in good company in using one. A Swedish productivity guru, Lennart Meynert, called it the Self-Starter and I like that name for it.

Like you do your favourite quotes about leadership, carry your Self-Starter with you at all times. At first, you will need to remind yourself to look at it. You must make it a habit. Always look at it first thing, before you start your work. Always look at it at the end of your working day as a crosscheck. Find a way to make it a habit.

You will soon start to remember your main goals.

Be sure to do this. Don’t spend too long deciding what to put on it. A less than perfect Self-Starter is far better than none at all. You can always modify it and produce a new one. It’s not a huge investment in cost but there is a huge payback from it.

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