W. Edwards Deming once said: “If you can’t describe what you’re doing as a process, you don’t know what you’re doing. Here’s the first in a whole series of videos I’ll be producing to help you jump-start your performance and productivity. Also check out my recent posts on the right side of this page.

7 Ways to Grow the Habit of Getting Things Done

1. Abandon Perfectionism

Waiting for the perfect time to start a project almost always results in delays. In the real world, there is no perfect time, no perfect condition, no perfect person. Start now, regardless of the circumstance.

2. Don’t be a thinker, be a doer.

Here’s a fact of life: the longer you think about doing something, the greater the chance it won’t get done. Break the habit of thinking something to death. Do it!

3. Trump fear with action

It’s widely known that the greatest fear for most people is the fear of being asked to speak in public. Oddly, my greatest fear is that I won’t be asked to speak in public, but I digress. Action is the best cure for fear. Do whatever you’re afraid of doing, and do it now! Action builds confidence and confidence conquers fear.

4. Live in the now

Don’t worry about what you should have done, or what could have been, just focus on what you can do now. Yesterday is history and tomorrow has yet to come. What you do have is today, this moment, this opportunity, so take advantage and do what you can do today.

5. Commit to action – For everything!

Success and achievement are about doing, not about dreaming. Develop the habit of getting down to “it” right now. Not after the third cup of coffee, not after you read your email, get down to “it” now. The coffee can wait and so can yesterday’s news.

6. Develop the habit of initiative

People at the top of every profession or at the top of their field have a rare quality called initiative. The good news is that initiative is a developed behavior (habit), not a natural talent. You too can develop the habit of getting things done, when they need to be done, by developing the habit of initiative.

7. Take a lesson from Larry the Cable Guy

“Get ‘er done!”

Click here for more ways to improve your performance and productivity

Click Here for a great post on the importance of writing things down.