27 things I’ve discovered work for everyone over 17 years of coaching leaders

1. List all the stuff that prevents your from achieving your daily objectives and create a plan for dealing with each one.

2. Set realistic daily objectives.

3. List what you have a tendency to do when things get tough. (Do you distract yourself with a new shiny idea that’s fun to talk about and imagine? Write that down so you recognising it as the enemy when it walks in you’ll be far less likely to fall for its lies).

4. Make a plan for when you won’t use your phone and make a plan than makes it easier to stick to than not. Don’t be a hero, just aim for better. Confidence grows from success so make sure you guarantee success. Don’t fall into the trap of ‘should’. Keep it real.

5. Uncover all the stories you tell yourself about how it’s different for you than for others. We’ve all got them. Get them out! Eg I’m fine with caffeine in the afternoon, my back hurts because of my age, it’s normal to pee at night, alcohol is fine in moderation, I don’t need much more than 6 hours sleep, I’m luck I can get away with eating processed food, etc you get the idea. No judgments it’s just our stories keep us from seeing reality and things cannot get better until we see reality.

6. Write down your current reality and don’t down play, up play or justify just point your finger at what’s actually true for you. Health, Finance, Relationship, work everything. The more truth you can muster the better things can get.

7. Set a bed time that allows you to wake without an alarm. I’m not saying don’t set one, I live in the real world but pulling yourself out of a sleep cycle every day will really take its toll on your health and how you show up in the world.

8. Aim for incremental improvement. Aiming for massive improvement is a strong indicator of panic at your current reality and the simplest recipe for failure. Massive shifts comes from a few small increments combined.

9. Spend most of your day doing what you are awesome at. 4 areas of genius that you’ve always had.

10. Choose the method you are best at over the best method.

11. Master saying no. Not with willpower but questions. Keep asking questions until it is clear to both you and them that no is the right answer for both of you.

12. Let health and energy guide your consumption choices not values. You can’t save the planet if you’re on your arse.

13. If you have a desk job where you sit more than 4 hours a day you NEED a standing desk. There is no amount of healthy activity that will make this not true for you.

14. Fix your sleep. Not sleeping well and through the night IS an emergency.

15. End this sentence. I’m happiest when I have x in my week.

16. End this sentence. I feel most present when I pause to appreciate...

17. Accept that you are judgemental, it’s how we decide what we value and what we don’t. Accepting we do it is the first step towards challenging them and changing them. You can’t think again if you deny thinking in the first place.

18. Decide on some times every day to find peace. Whether that’s walking, meditating, listening to music is not important. What’s important is that your brain learns that you won’t die if you stop running.

19. Decide when you will worry and stick to it.

20. Drink structured water. You wouldn’t make half the decisions you make if you were better hydrated.

21. Look at those situations where you show up as less than you want to. Decided who you will be next time and take proactive steps to construct the environment to make that possible. Just ONE success will be enough to start turning the tide.

22. Don’t assume that helping is always helpful, for either of you.

23. If you’re learning something new commit time every day to do something you’re awesome at.

24. Assume you don’t understand what they mean and all the implications. Ask more questions until you do. Or even better, until they do.

25. Get clear on what your values are and what their opposites are you’ll be much clearer on what pisses you off and why and how to construct the life you want.

26. Create new solutions to old failures.

27. Sweat every day.

There are more, lots more. I’ve also learned than people don’t really struggle knowing what to do but consistently doing it. The list still stands for what it’s worth.

Which would you do if you were to pick just one?