7 Simple Steps to begin living with effectiveness

The essence of effectiveness is that you get the results you want today in such a way that you can get even better results in the future. – Stephen R. Covey

Have you ever felt as if the picture of your life has been broken up like a jigsaw puzzle?
You still have all the pieces there,  laid out around you.  You just cannot seem to get them all in just the right place for the picture to emerge.

Recently I felt like I had mixed up my pieces with someone else and I was trying to force their pieces to fit my puzzle.

Today I feel different.

I awoke with a renewed sense of clarity, remembering the insights of yesterday.

I grabbed my notebook, capturing these thoughts now swirling about in my head.

I have some work to do to.  It will require an investment of time to put my puzzle back together.   To reveal the glorious picture that is my strongest most effective life.

Let me quickly fill you in on what happened.

Yesterday I spent the day absorbed in the teachings of Stephen Covey, while at the launch of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People® Signature Edition 4.0 program.

Just like reuniting with any ‘old and dear friend’ it was as if time had stood still.   I remembered how great we were together and I very quickly picked up where we left off.

I was first introduced to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
13 years ago, at a time when I was working hard, chasing my tail and highly frazzled more often than not

Needless to say this book changed my life.

I eventually enrolled in a one day course and by the end of that day I was smitten.  Completely and totally head over heels in love with the principals of the 7 Habits and the ability it gave me to make a difference in my life, and in the lives of others.

After the course I committed to doing the work and began to unravel and leave behind my ineffective thinking patterns.  I dug deep within, unearthing what was truly important to me.

I transformed the way I approached my entire life, creating an effective life, a fulfilling life and it felt amazing.

Although I have never forgotten what I achieved back then, over the years I have become sloppy, taken some shortcuts, gone after the easy fix and slowly drifted back into some ineffective habits.

I lost some of my puzzle pieces.

Today I am rejoicing as I am once again doing the work to reconnect with the ME that I know and adore.

Are you struggling to pull your life together into one beautiful picture?
Do you have a clear vision to aim for and return to?

How can you be effective if you don’t know what you are aiming for?

Want to join me?
Grab a cuppa, 2 sheets of paper, some coloured pens and set aside 15 minutes.  (It’s okay I will wait).

Let’s begin by sitting down and making a list of all the things that matter most to you, lets take a look at your puzzle pieces.   Not your partners, your children’s, your boss’s, your dog’s, the school’s, your cat’s, your bestie’s.

This is your life, your puzzle.

Lets’ do this.

1. On the first sheet of paper right the heading What matters most to me?
   Get that list happening, write down for one minute whatever comes to mind.
2. Now choose one thing on the list you would most like to improve.
   Grab a clean sheet of paper and write it big and bold in the centre.
3. Now write all over the page anything you can do to improve your satisfaction with this area of your life.
   For the next 5 minutes go nuts, think wild and write without restraint.
   Imagine anything is possible.
4. Now choose one thing you can do in the next week and circle it.
5. Book it in, make a date.
   Write it in the diary, stick it on the fridge, tuck it in your purse, schedule a reminder.
   Get it happening.
6. Make it real, declare your intention to someone else.
   Call your Mum, tell your partner, thrill me with a note in comments.
7. Give yourself a hug and celebrate taking one step towards living more effectively, and shaping a life that is for YOU.

Remember, this is your one great life.

Live it Fabulously

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