Tag Archives: coaching

Keepin it 100

Ask any coach, executive, or leader of any kind.  It’s crucial to recognize and celebrate milestones.

Just wrapped up Spring Training?  Recognize and celebrate.

Just finished your first full year in business?  Recognize and celebrate.

Just published your 100th blog post?

Recognize!

Now let’s celebrate 100 blog posts by remembering some of the best:

Thanks to you for reading.  I write ’em for you.

10 ways to enjoy low-hanging fruit

It’s the easy stuff.  The stuff within reach.  The stuff that takes minimal effort, but gets you started.  More than what you got, picking the low-hanging fruit gets you momentum.

Picking the low-hanging fruit gets you first 25%.  Then, the next lowest hanging fruit gets you half way there.  The next 25% is easy since you’ve already done twice that much.  Finally the last 25% takes some strategy, but is why you started.

There are so many opportunities to use the low-hanging fruit principle.  Start with the easy stuff and ride the momentum.  Here are some real-life examples.

10 ways to enjoy low-hanging fruit:

  • At the gym: 4 sets seems daunting.  Doing just one does not.
  • Around the house: Cleaning the house is a huge chore.  Starting with the dishes is not.
  • At high school: 20 page papers are scary.  Creating an outline is not.
  • At grad school: Dissertations are intense.  Fact gathering with note cards is not.
  • In competition: Overcoming a 30 point deficit may seem impossible.  Getting one basket is just one basket.
  • In the kitchen: Having an awe-inspiring kitchen is a dream.  Starting with a Vitamix 7500 is realistic.
  • In policy: Making high fructose corn syrup illegal may take a lifetime.  Raising awareness takes a couple minutes.
  • In education: Learning to read can be frustrating.  Learning a couple words is delightful.
  • In dating: Finding your soul mate might be the goal.  But, going on one date is step one.
  • In your career: Quitting your job and working for yourself is not realistic.  That is, unless you’ve begun to build your email list.

Go one tree at a time

Grabbing the low-hanging fruit will get you started.  And it will get you the momentum you need.  Soon, all that’s left will be the fruit at the top.

But, just because picking the low-hanging fruit is good, doesn’t mean it’s all you should do.  Because if you go from tree to tree without finishing, you’ll be left with a bunch of trees with a little fruit on top.  And that’s not why you started.

Read more about getting the low-hanging fruit by reading “Switch”, one of my favorite resources.