‘The most important thing I have learnt in life is to FOCUS MY ENERGY on what’s important in life.” : Bill Gates
At a gala dinner hosted by William H Gates(father of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates) for a number of hand-picked business champions, he asked them to write down on a piece of paper one word – which they thought had determined their sustained success and significance in life.
Two guests wrote the same word:
FOCUS
They were his own son, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet – two of the most successful people in the world today.FOCUS drives:
Sustained Success and Significance in business, sport and life.
Getting one’s priorities right (FOCUS RIGHT), is therefore one of the most important actions you can take in life, yet surprisingly few people are able to clearly articulate their ‘’Big Five” priorities in life.
In week three’s module we delve into how clearly articulated priorities can change your life for the better
– and we share some of the secrets of the great champions – and how their priorities stack up.
Clear priorities help you to make informed YES/NO decisions in life.They will steer you towards what you want in life.
Before we do that, here is a short exercise ……….
EXERCISE ONE:
In hierarchical order can you list your own BIG FIVE priorities in life?
Ok, it’s certainly not an easy exercise to do…………………………
Here’s a little help.
We are all unique human beings, and we all value and prioritise different things in different ways, but ‘patterns of priorities’ do exist for the great champions of life.
In this module we will share them with you – and you will be surprised:
Priority NUMBER ONE?
What sits right at the top of the pile?
Most people say FAMILY, but this is not the answer that the great champions will give you.
THEY WILL TELL YOU : YOU. YOURSELF
The great champions of life set up right.
Consider the following paradoxical wisdom:
The Great Champions of life know that self-interest is central to one’s human design, but count the greatest gain as the goodwill of fellow humankind. Bob Bulford
It’s all about setting up right to be able to help others.
And in order to help others you must ensure that you are always coming from a ‘position of strength’,
Put yourself in a position to be able to help others, as someone who is coming from a ‘position of weakness’ – is highly unlikely to impart great value.
By taking care of yourself first, you’ll put yourself in a position to have excess abundance to take care of others. Corey Wayne
Hence, if want to do the very best for your family or important others, you must first and foremost invest in your own professional and personal development…
The Champion’s Cocktail reads as F.C.B : Faith,Confidence & Belief.
My Advice. Invest in Yourself: Warren Buffett
Priority Number Two is: YOUR PURPOSE
Purpose is why you exist.
As we learnt in Module two, purpose drives champions.
It’s the one thing that you become an expert in, so that you can positively influence and contribute to this world.
Prioritising YOUR PURPOSE drives focus.
And with a clearly articulated purpose you will be on the winning side every day.
Every living being was born to accomplish certain purpose. It’s the knowledge of that purpose that enables every soul to fulfil it :Mohammed Ali
Priority Number Three?
Ok here it is: PRIORITY NUMBER THREE : YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS
With Priority NUMBER ONE and Priority NUMBER TWO set up right, you are now ready to make that important difference in the lives of the most important people around you.
Invest time and energy in those close to you.
Priority Number Four: YOUR HEALTH &WEALTH
Both of these can so easily be lost,unless you prioritise and invest in them.
On health , one only has to read about the tragic loss of Steve Jobs- who died age 56 with 56 billion in his bank account.
The main idea in life is not to be the richest person in the cemetery.
Here are some valuable insights on health, which come from one of the most unlikely of sources.
No, not from the medical fraternity, but from a sporting legend – one of Great Britain’s greatest middle-distance athletes:
We all have a finite amount of energy. Whether you use physical or mental energy it all comes from the same source. Wherever you focus your energy you’re either filling or depleting the same ‘well’ : Sir Sebastian Coe
What Sebastian Coe is sharing is that the human body is designed to operate in a state of balance – and it functions optimally as a harmonious, synchronised unit if and when we look after ourselves in all three realms of life and health – namely physical, chemical, and emotional wellness.
These are the three buckets which will either ‘fill of drain’ your human well. They are the key drivers of wellness – or illness:
- Physical is what we put into our bodies.
- Chemical is what we put in our mouths.
- Emotional is what we put in our heads.
Our job is to keep topping up the human energy well by prioritising all three of the ‘buckets’ of life.
We need to live a life of balance.
Too much or too little of anything for too long creates a state of imbalance.
On wealth, the bible says ‘the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil’ , it does not say ‘money is the root of all kinds of evil’.
There is a massive difference.
Invest wisely as money is a great enabler – it can help you to impact more positively on this world.
There can be no greater example than Bill Gates,who has pledged half his billions to help fight infectious diseases.
Priority Number Five: YOUR LIFESTYLE.
Champion’s understand that it’s vitally important to be ‘fresh’ when called on:
‘To step up to the plate’.
If you are to fully grab the opportunities which come your way, you will need to invest time in refuelling yourself – knowing what refills ‘the energy well’.
You are never too busy to prepare yourself for the next part of your journey.
Invest wisely in your lifestyle choices.
Whether it is sport , reading , travelling , gym, fishing , socialising whatever – find time to refuel yourself .
Find hobbies and things that you love to do.
This is a personal choice.
It’s this energy which will put you on your own journey from Good to Great to Greater.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way : Brian Dyson
You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way : Walter Hagen
Now you know. You have the ‘Champions’ model on how your priorities should be stacking up.
Champion’s fill up their lives with things which are important to them.
Champions dedicate 90 % of their time to their BIG FIVE PRIORITIES IN LIFE.
Champions know that getting their priorities right is the secret to living a balanced life – and going on to achieve that next level of SUSTAINED SUCCESS & SIGNIICANCE in life.
Clear priorities will help you to get the balance right in your Professional and Personal life
Summed up for the Great Champions of Life:
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Priority Number One is YOURSELF
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Priority Number Two is YOUR PURPOSE in life
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Priority Number Three is YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS
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Priority Number Four is YOUR HEALTH
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Priority Number Five is YOUR LIFESTYLE
Mix and match to make it work best for you………….
Hone your FOCUS, as FOCUS is the discipline and ability to say YES …… and NO at the right time.
People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. Steve Jobs
In this week’s inspiration video story …………………….
We go way back to 1978 , when Kenny Rogers shared some sage advice about life……… and FOCUS.
THE GAMBLER :
If you’re gonna play the game , boy. You gotta learn how to play it right ; You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em……
Enjoy the video below
Go Great.
Till Module Three………. Setting your Performance Goals.
Coach Rob
GET IN TOUCH: robopie@thegameplan.co.za
The Game Changers presents that everyone, every team can find the key to real achievement in life. Finding real purpose need not be random. It is an awesome proposal and one that must be investigated by anyone who fears being ordinary – John Robbie
GET IN TOUCH: robopie@thegameplan.co.za
Rob Opie is a Brand Expert, Speaker, Author and leading Performance Coach. He empowers, inspires and helps both teams and individuals to achieve their own greatest potential in life.
For more insights and inspiration, visit www.thegameplan.co.za- where you can also book Rob to talk to your team on his recently published book: THE GAME CHANGERS – how to achieve your own greatest potential in life.
GET IN TOUCH :robopie@thegameplan.co.za
