Carlos Lasserre
To the question: Do we give the best that we can give?, the logical answer is "No". The next question
presents a more complex answer: Why not?
In daily life we often perform
multiple activities, obligations and tasks that return us little value. Many
times we allow what is less important blends with the really important things by
not knowing the difference, and the habit is so ingrained that is difficult to see
the difference. This is discussed in modern leadership under the concept of
"Essentialism". That is, the
disciplined pursuit of the essence at the expense of the irrelevant.
If we consider that we are limited
beings, with a limited power source, it is vitally important to ask ourselves
where we are focusing that energy. In summary, Essentialism postulates that for
a more efficient result, you should use the minimum efforts to achieve the
maximum benefits. This is one of the pitfalls of "Delivering the maximum
possible." It can be misinterpreted as "Delivering as much effort as
possible," however it points to the contrary, to make the less effort in order
to achieve more. That is, strive better. The key is in the process of
eliminating, as the Chinese saying "Happiness is not to gain wealth but to
subtract desires".
Life
does not stop bombarding us with the trivial, we are the ones to say No. No to what
does not gives us something, No to meeting expectations of others. Saying No,
may be the most positive tool of all
when its power is discovered: every second saved in an activity that we do not
need in our lives and to which we say No, can be an extra second to invest
better where we need it the most.
To get the maximum posible, we must
agree small and infinite giving ups that we have to release in pursue of the
greatest goal, with no regrets. By delivering the máximum possible, we, among
other things:
aa. Give
meaning to what we do:
dBy identifying the essentials by eliminating the trivial and put all our focus on it, the road becomes appropriate and therefore makes us more sense. We're getting what we want to achieve.
ab. Take
control of our lives:
When choosing where and when to put
our energy and agreeing peace with what we will not give priority, we avoid the
overwhelm and the burden that would generate by absorbing all tasks without
prioritizing, and dissatisfaction generated by the accumulated backlogs with no
management. If we do not prioritize our tasks, others end up doing for us.
Two practical examples to develop this subject:
Example 1:
Prepare a list of all the
activities you do daily. In another column place a note from 10 to 1 for the
effort it involves (1 max). In the third column, from 1 to 10 for the benefit it
gives you (10 max). In a fourth column write down the result of multiplying the second and third columns. Review the
results under 50, these tasks you should reconsider.
Example 2:
Prepare
a list of the activities you like to do during the day and you do not perform.
In another column mark the reason why you have not done it. Check the
activities under 50 from the list in Example 1, since in the second column
appear irrelevant tasks that when eliminated will give time for the ones that
are truly important. A tip: never blame time. Time is infinite, existed before,
has existed during and will exist after you. The really finite is your
imagination to know how to use it. Be protagonist, works in the imagination.
Time should be someone else’s concern.