Eating An Entire Pizza, Productivity, Proper Planning, & Masterminds

What’s the one commodity you can NEVER get back? Your Time!

~ Brian D. Hawkins

In this post I’m going to do a magic trick? Yep, I’m going to quickly move from a traffic jam, to eating A LOT of pizza, to productivity, and wrap it up with you wanting, no NEEDING, a mastermind. Ready?

Let’s Take A Ride

So it’s Friday afternoon and I’m just 30 miles from starting my weekend. I get into one of the lanes that will put me onto I-96. No worries, I’m listening to a great podcast and almost home. I’m thinking this might be my “cheat night” so we can order pizza or something. Kim will like that. I should call… Oh crap! Look at that backup!

I pause my podcast and hurry over to AM-950 to see what’s going on. Great, I have to wait 9 minutes because their traffic report, that broadcasts every 10 minutes, just finished.

Now I’m getting an alert from Google telling me there’s a traffic issue ahead. Would I like an alternate route? Are you freakin’ kidding me?

Finally, the traffic report comes back around. I’m told the issue is a car accident FIVE MILES AHEAD! Wow, how inconsiderate for someone to wreck on this busy freeway right at the peak of rush hour. And on a Friday, no less. Not cool.

Who’s Fault Is It?

Someone caused the accident, right? Michigan is considered a “no-fault state” but that’s because Michigan is stupid. Of course someone’s at fault. Even more likely, more than one person should hold the blame. Anyway, it’s not their fault I’m in this situation, no really.

Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

All it would have took was a little planning to save what ended up being well over an hour of stop & go frustration.

You can do a lot in an hour. You can get a nice shower in an hour. You can watch a great show in an hour. Hell, you can eat an entire large pizza by yourself in an hour. Yeah, I know. 🙁

But I had other options. About the pizza? Obviously but I’m talking about the traffic situation here. Try to keep up and pay attention.

• I could have took a few minutes to check the traffic before jumping onto the freeway.
• I could live somewhere better that here.
• I could be in a situation where I didn’t have to drive this truck.
• I could have left earlier.
• I could have stayed home to begin with.
• Or, you know what? I could have just looked down from the bridge and seen the backup before I turned smack dab into it!

Could of, should of, but didn’t…

Productivity Tips? Nope!

Traffic jam to productivity? Come on, you know it’s all about time, right?

[Tweet “What’s the one commodity you can NEVER get back? Your Time! #masterminds #productivity”]

Here’s where I would generally offer a bunch of productivity tips. Me and everyone else, right? Like I have it together? Give me a break.

Sure, I could tell you to write each day’s tasks the night before, get plenty of sleep and exercise, avoid distractions, and eat the biggest frog first. I could also tell you to never think bad thoughts about your neighbor and those much different thoughts about their wife or husband.

I know this stuff. You know this stuff. Are we doing it?

[Tweet “I know this stuff. You know this stuff. Are we doing it? #masterminds #productivity”]

Well, actually… yes. I’m beginning to anyway. Little by little I’m starting to get a handle on productivity. By prioritizing more than anything else. By deciding what to do, when to do it, and how long to do it – ahead of time.

Who Cares?

You don’t care about my little triumph, as short term as it probably is. You care about what works for you. You know WHAT to do. You just need to know what gets you to actually do some of those things. Am I right?

No? Here’s The Top 3 Productivity Books I Recommend.

Here’s The BIG Productivity Idea – A Mastermind!

I’m certainly no expert and you shouldn’t be listening to me anyway but it’s too late for that realization, you’ve already read over 680 words. 😉

Seriously though, if you are anything like me and know what to do but fall a little short on consistent follow through, it might be time for a mastermind.

No, I’m not selling a mastermind membership or course, just freely giving my two cents.

I’m not going to go all into how to find or how to create a mastermind group. That type of post would belong on Hot Blog Tips anyway. I will say masterminds have helped me tremendously in the past and I’m sure it’s something I need to get back into.

Think about it, not only do you get the guidance of fellow peers, there’s a reason they call your session the “Hot Seat“. You’re being put on the spot – being held accountable. Peer pressure in a positive way.

The right mastermind group will give you both the knowledge and influence to keep you motivated and moving in the right direction.

My challenge for you

The next time you blow off that email broadcast, writing that ad copy or blog post to watch a Big Bang Theory re-run or check your Facebook feed, find or create the perfect peer group – your mastermind.

I mean right that minute! Don’t wait or it will never happen. You know that moment will happen very soon, even today, right? Exactly, so why not get started right now? Do it. Please.