How to Achieve More and Bumble Less in 2023

I just had the most disturbing flashback.

The year is 2008.

The month is December.

The economy is in a free-fall.

And I’m busy planning the year ahead for the email marketing company I founded and run, MarketVolt.

I sit in front of my computer, fire up MS Word, and type in big, bold letters…

2009 Priorities 

And then I type the first priority…

…then another priority…

…then another…

…and another…

…and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another and another.

(That’s 19 “priorities”)

I found that old priority list yesterday, and it made me shiver.

I don’t recall the details. But I remember in Q1 2009:

I was a in a frenzy.

I was running around like a headless chicken. I was busy as a bee. But I wasn't getting much done. I was a bumbling mess.

(So it goes when you have 19 PRIORITIES.)

Fast forward 5 years to April 2014. I buy a copy of Greg Mckeown's new book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, and I read this:

“The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed singular for the next five hundred years.

Only in the 1900s did we pluralize the term and start talking about priorities. Illogically, we reasoned that by changing the word we could bend reality. Somehow we would now be able to have multiple “first” things.

People and companies routinely try to do just that. One leader told me of this experience in a company that talked of “Pri-1, Pri-2, Pri-3, Pri-4, and Pri-5.”

This gave the impression of many things being the priority but actually meant nothing was.”

No more 19-item "priority" lists for me.

Since reading that book, I've focused on doing less, but doing it better.

And you, Busy Bee? How's that year-end planning going?

If you want to accomplish more and bumble less, Dean Isaacs and I can help.

We're hosting another of our world-renowned 5in25 trainings (5 valuable strategies/tactics, delivered in 25 minutes, followed by Q&A).

The topic:

5 Planning Keys to Launch the New Year with Confidence, Clarity, and Business-Building Momentum

On Thursday, December 15, 3:30 ET, 2:30 CT, Dean and I will reveal:

 How to ensure that your best laid plans don't become another pile of failed resolutions in 2023.

 The critical idea -- developed by an Italian who died 99 years ago -- that can help you plan for massive success next year.

 The most common, business-crushing mistake people make when planning for next year.

 Secrets to achieve more success with less effort...

All of the above in just 25 minutes. Then stick around for Q&A.

The cost to attend: Zilch.

But you have to RSVP on LinkedIn to join us. So click that button below...