The Slump Buster

If you feel your energy level sliding, or if you are losing your motivation, here's a simple strategy that will help you get back in the game.

Maintain a list of small, meaningful tasks that need doing - things like replacing a light bulb, writing a letter, or returning a phone call. Take out your list when you feel a slump coming on and take care of one of those tasks. You will be out of your slump by the time you have completed it.

Why? Because you will have "stepped back" to catch your breath. Plus, accomplishing even small tasks is energizing. Results are always good!

Don't let perfectionism be a trap or hold you back from working toward your goals. If, for example, you have to get a winning sales letter in the mail to achieve one of your business goals, the only thing you can do is take a shot at writing it. Write your letter and test it. Aim for good. Once you receive the test results, you will be ready to aim for better, because you will have more information to work with.

Here's another "trick" for keeping perfectionism at bay: Apply the 90 percent rule to every task you take on.

Let's say you have been slaving away at a project. You've been putting in long hours, and wearing yourself out. As a result, you are beginning to neglect your other job responsibilities - and even your health. This is a definite sign that you are being a perfectionist. It's time to put the 90 percent rule to work.

Say to yourself, "Have I achieved 90 percent of what I was aiming for with this project? If not, I will continue to work on it. If so, I move forward."

Now this doesn't mean that you don't pour 100 percent of your energy and attention into important tasks. It just means that you stop trying to perfect every tiny detail.

It took me 25 years to learn the 90 percent rule. Do not wait that long to take advantage of this time-saving, money-making, and goal-achieving insider secret.

I stopped striving for perfection because it was too time-consuming and limiting. Had I implemented the 90 percent rule much earlier, I would have completed far more projects a lot quicker.

To this day, keeping my perfectionism under control is hard. However, when I consider "the bigger picture," I know that I have to push to move my goals forward. That's why, for the past seven years, this has been my rule: 90 percent means good to go!

Don't waste time and energy striving for perfect. Do the best you can. Then take time later to fine-tune your work.

Ways to optimize your site for local search

1. Use "geo-keywords"

First, decide on how specific to be with your location. The smaller the geographic location, the more targeted your customers will be... although of course you will appeal to a smaller audience.

The chiropractor in Los Angeles would want to include "Los Angeles" and "LA." But he'll also have to say exactly where he is -- the city, the neighborhood... even the street. People will use all those terms when they perform their searches.

And here's a tip: When you're deciding on the location keyword, think about how locals would search for it.

For example, Southern California is often referred to as "SoCal;" while residents of Port Coquitlam in British Columbia call it "Poco." If you're targeting locals, you definitely have to speak their language and use those keywords on your site.

Make sure you work your location keywords into your copy and code wherever possible. Use them in your headlines and subheads. And throughout your copy for extra impact.

One of the pages on your website should be a directions page, complete with a Google map.

By using location keywords often you'll tell the search engines that your site is relevant for those words.

2. Display your address and phone number

Have your full street address on the footer at the bottom of each page and on the side navigation bar.

Include a phone number with a local area code. This will give the search engines all the information they need to nail your location.

3. Get inbound local links

Search engines reward you for having links pointing to your website from other reputable sites and organizations.

Local directories give you an easy way to build up your inbound links... and get your site seen by highly targeted groups of local buyers!

You can submit your site to:
Goog411 -- http://www.google.com/goog411


Yahoo Local Business -- http://listings.local.yahoo.com/signup/create_1.php


TrueLocal.com -- http://www.truelocal.com/listabusiness.aspx


Switchboard.com Yellow Pages -- http://www.switchboard.com


Ask Local -- http://city.ask.com/city


MSN Local/Live Maps/InfoUSA -- https://ssl.search.live.com/listings/ListingCenter.aspx


CitySearch -- https://selfenroll.citysearch.com


SuperPages -- http://advertising.superpages.com/spportal


Internet Yellow Pages -- http://www.yellow.com/advertise


Better Business Bureau -- http://www.bbb.org/membership/index.asp


Chambers of Commerce -- http://www.chamberofcommerce.com/public/index.cfm


Yelp.com -- http://www.yelp.com

Most of these directories offer both free and paid listings. Test out the free service before upgrading to paid to see if it works for you without having to pay any further fees.

Don't forget to look for other local directories and networks too. Search on "location name + directories" and see what comes up. More and more are appearing every day!

Here is a great resource for more information: http://www.locallytype.com/pages/submit.htm

Be search engine savvy when you're filling out your listings. Whenever possible mention keywords, area names and product names so you can be found!

If your business is local, follow these 3 tips and watch your site blow away your local competition.

Achieve All Your Goals in 2008

If your New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside, don't worry.

You're not the only one who resolutely vowed to achieve certain things in 2008. but got too caught up in work and family and personal issues to make any real progress.

It doesn't mean that you don't WANT to find a new job. or add $100,000 to your income. or lose 35 pounds. or keep your house organized.

And it certainly doesn't mean that you don't CARE about accomplishing these goals.

It just means that - like millions of people - you just don't have enough time to get what you want.

Automatic Wealth

If your goal is to become wealthy, it's a good idea to track your net worth on a regular basis.

I believe that most successful moneymakers regularly count their money... they regularly assess their fortunes. As their net income grows and they feel more comfortable with their wealth and more confident of their income, they count less. When they get superwealthy - Warren Buffett wealthy - they don't have to count their money. Fortune magazine and countless other entities do it for them. But on their way up, they count. And that's what I recommend you do.

Specifically, I suggest that you do a personal balance sheet every month. Create a spreadsheet that lists all your assets and all your debits. Include valuable possessions, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, gold, real estate (aside from your home), and so forth.

You'll be amazed at how much this simple commitment can affect the way you think and even the way you act.

I've come across studies that found the same thing to be true of goal setting: If you write down your goals and check them regularly, you'll have a much better chance of achieving them.

For instance, a recent study from DayTimer.com concluded that American workers with the highest incomes and most success in the workplace are those who have written goals. These superstars also have the habit of writing daily task lists prioritized in a way to help them achieve those goals. On the flipside, of the more than 70 percent of workers who don't write down career or financial goals, only nine percent accomplish what they set out to do each day.

So those are three things you should be checking regularly:

Your weight (or, better yet, body-fat composition)
Your net worth
Your progress toward your life goals

Ads

With the Internet, it's now possible to spend no more than a few dollars, write a

couple of very basic ads, and have instant access to millions of potential customers

all in a matter of minutes.

Three Ways to Grow a Business

Did you know that there are only three ways to grow a business?

1. Increase the number of customers.
2. Increase the average transaction value.
3. Increase the frequency of repurchase.

Find a way to maximize each one, and your business will experience an astonishing rate of growth.

top 3 ways to make your site a sales machine...

...BEFORE you spend a bundle on attracting visitors.


1: Get your salescopy in top shape

You've got under five seconds to convince people to stay on your website... so your headline has to grab them by the eyeballs and compel them to read on!

The best headlines tell visitors they'll find exactly what they're searching for, and intrigue them enough to keep reading.

But don't let your readers slip through your fingers once you've grabbed their attention with a hot headline.

Salescopy is the most important part of your website -- because it turns visitors into customers!

So make sure it smoothly guides people through a streamlined process that:
Identifies with their problem and builds your credibility

Engages them -- and explains why you can help

Tells them how they'll benefit from your product

Overcomes any objections they may have

Compels them to take action -- and tells them what to do!
At the end, give people a clear call to action that motivates them by re-stating the biggest benefit they'll get from buying now.

Instead of saying, "Click here to buy now!" go for something like, "Click here for instant access and start changing your life for the better in the next 30 minutes!"

So funnel your readers through a tight sales process -- and don't give them a reason to click away. If you do, they probably won't come back!


2: Collect testimonials

What's more trustworthy than a personal recommendation?

A good testimonial can persuade even the most skeptical potential customer to buy from you!

Testimonials prove that your product really works -- it DOES do exactly what you promise. That's why you NEED testimonials when you're getting started and haven't built your reputation.

Here's how to gather quality testimonials and benefit from them immediately:
If you don't have any customers yet, give your product away to a group of people in your target market, in exchange for their feedback.


If you have some positive feedback from customers,
ask permission to use their comments on your site.


Don't be afraid to ask for testimonials! Invite customers to give you their vote of confidence with an email link that says: "Click here to tell us what you think!"


Email your buyers after they've purchased your product to ask them how they're enjoying it.
Make sure each testimonial has a first name, last name, and location to prove they're from real people.

Aim to get testimonials that are packed full of concrete benefits telling your customers exactly what they can expect to gain from buying your product.

Use them on your homepage, within your salescopy, on a special testimonial page, and on relevant product pages.

3: Make it easy to buy!

I'm always amazed how many sites make it difficult for you to buy from them!

According to market research from the Gartner Group, more than 50% of web sales are LOST because visitors can't find what they're looking for!

Don't make that mistake.
Name your navigation buttons clearly so it's obvious what people will find when they click on them.


Keep your navigation simple and consistent throughout your site, so people don't have to click any more than necessary. Ideally, someone should be able to buy from you in two clicks at most.


Use "Buy Now" buttons that link to your shopping cart or order page every time a product is shown-- especially if you have a catalog site.
And when people click to your sales page, make things easy for them!
Provide a range of payment options -- PayPal is a great place to start because it gives you an easy way to accept credit cards -- an absolute MUST.


On your order form, ask ONLY for the information you need. For example, if you sell an eBook, it's unlikely you'll need a home address. The less work people have to do on your order form, the more likely they are to buy.


And here's an extra tip... don't underestimate the power of including a phone number people can call if they have any questions.

As you work on your sales process, use our monitoring and testing tips to see which changes are most effective, so every element you add is an improvement.

If you DON'T test your site, you can be sure your visitors will be testing it anyway! So make sure there aren't any leaks in your sales process for them to find.

Build a solid sales process first, and then prioritize more advanced business-building strategies.

Once you've got these three crucial parts of your sales process shipshape, you can drive targeted traffic to your site -- and ramp up your sales even more!

Increase the effectiveness of the marketing copy you write.

First, you identify and work on the mechanics involved in copywriting. You do this by reading "how to" books, taking courses, going to seminars... and so on. These are all direct-training activities.

Next, you identify cross-training opportunities - things like reading popular novels. And not just reading them for entertainment... but for form, word choice, etc. Watching hit movies. Also not just for entertainment... but to learn about pacing, action, and the things that motivate different kinds of people.

Okay. Now that I've got you thinking in this direction, I'm sure you'll be able to come up with your own brain-training program to improve your cognitive skills and give a "bump" to your chances of success in reaching your specific goals. You simply need to:

Identify both direct and cross-training activities that will help you... and...
Engage in them, frequently... preferably daily, at the same time every day.

Flirting for College Credit

Hoping to boost a sagging birthrate - and concerned that its declining population could hurt economic growth - the government of Singapore has put together a very different type of college course.

In it, students learn the arts of flirting, relationships, dating, love song analysis, and online chatting.

The new course, which filled up so quickly that additional classes had to be added, is one component of the city-state's efforts to convince young people to get married and have children.

Give Yourself Lots More Time to Be Lots More Successful

Limiting Your Shower to Two-Minutes

I know how much you like to stand under the hot water and soak. I know how it relaxes you. But spending 15 to 30 minutes a day in the shower (as many people do) wastes a ton of water and time.

Save the planet. Improve yourself. Take shorter showers.

Amount of time you will save by taking short showers: 79 to 170 hours a year

Eating at Your Desk

I used to like hour-long business lunches. Then I got smart and started eating at my desk. I eat lunch at a restaurant two or three times a month. That's it. And it's always social. Never business.

Instead of letting vendors treat you to a fancy meal, let them spend their lunch money on giving you better prices.

Bottom line: Business lunches don't save time. They waste time! And money. Eat at your desk.

Amount of time you will save by eating at your desk: 250 hours a year

Insisting on Very Short Meetings

I figure about 80 percent of all the hour-long business meetings I have ever had need not have taken more than 15 minutes. Moreover, 50 percent of the multi-day business retreats I've attended could have been done in a day or a half-day.

Business meetings are like basketball games. Players spend most of the time throwing the ball back and forth while the score stays close. It's only in the last 10 minutes that they get serious and really play to win.

If you plan them well, you can significantly reduce the time you spend in meetings. Well-planned meetings have the following characteristics:

They focus on a single topic.
That topic is expressed concisely before the meeting in a short memo.
The meeting is conducted by someone who encourages ideas but cuts off digressions and pushes toward solutions.
The right people are there - never more than seven.
Time you will save with 15-minute meetings: 75 hours (assuming 100 meetings a year)

Answering E-Mails Efficiently

I answer e-mails only once a day - at the end of the day. This saves me tons of hassles and passels of time. Why? Because three-quarters of the 100 e-mails I get every day are other peoples' concerns. It's much better for them, and more time-efficient for me, if I let them solve their own problems.

When I do answer e-mails, I make my answers short and to the point. When I have something difficult or negative to say, I don't use e-mail because it can cause confusion that results in lots of extra e-mails to clear up. Positive comments can be made very quickly. And if something can't be explained quickly, I do it in person or on the phone.

Every once in a while - maybe twice a year - I ignore my rule and start the day by doing e-mail. And I have noticed that when I do that, it takes a lot longer. That's because in the morning I feel like I have plenty of time and tend to write longer answers when shorter ones will do. I have actually tracked the time it takes me to do e-mail both ways. When I start in the morning, it takes about 90 minutes to get through 100 e-mails. When I wait till the end of the day, it takes between 45 and 60 minutes.

Time you will save by answering e-mails for only 45 minutes a day: 185 hours (assuming you check e-mail 250 days of the year)

The Impressive Total

Tally it up. I've just shown you how you can save 589 hours a year, at the very least. That is the equivalent of more than 14 40-hour work weeks!

Think of all the things you could accomplish with an extra 589 hours each year. Then make the changes and get going.

Blurry Focus:

Here's your final set of tips to help you rush past this last Dream Killer called Blurry Focus:

Tip #1: Keep a written statement of your vision or goals close by. Write it in a clear, descriptive form and review it every single day. This might feel repetitive after many days have past, but trust us, renewing the vision in your minds eye every day will keep your view of the goal sharp, crisp, and clear.

Tip #2: Remain laser focused on the tasks required to get from point A to point Z. When you start each day with a clear plan and maintain the discipline to stick to that plan, you move along rapidly and you avoid those distracting off-ramp's.

Tip #3: Be accountable to someone. Share you grand vision and your ambitious goals with as many people you know who can appreciate your objective and who have an interest in seeing you succeed. Check in with a personal coach or mentor on a regular basis to report the progress of each week or each day for that matter. It is amazing how much strength, progress, and focus comes from having real accountability.

When they've hit the wall.

Here's some sound advice on dealing with this dilemma:

Tip #1: Plan ahead. When you plan ahead and expect that the wall is probably just around the corner, you'll have much more stamina to push through. Preparation proceeds power, so go into this with your eyes wide open--prepared to face the wall of fatigue that you'll eventually run into.

Tip #2: Pace yourself. So often, eager entrepreneurs are in such a rush. What's the hurry? If you give yourself a longer timeline to accomplish your goals you'll enjoy the journey much more. You'll also get a lot further along before you hit the wall, and that realization will give you more motivation to keep on going.

Tip #3: Follow someone's lead and benefit from their draft. You see cyclists do it all the time--by riding about ½ inch from the wheel in front of them they cut headwind resistance by more than 50%. Go get someone with strength and experience out in front of you to show you the way and to lighten the load...this way, you might never even realize you busted right through that wall without missing a beat.

Affiliate Program

Once you've got your affiliate program up and running, start coming up with ideas for teleseminars you can offer. For instance, you could hold a teleseminar where you:

... reveal how your best affiliates are marketing your products. Interview your top affiliates and have them share their secrets for making money.

... recognize best practices and outstanding efforts. Do this by not only teaching your own proven marketing strategies but also by having the affiliates teach what they do - and then openly acknowledging their efforts.

... give monetary awards to the "Affiliate of the Month." Feature the Affiliate of the Month on the call and let them share what they do, then mail them a check.
... introduce new products and discuss what makes them valuable to your affiliates' customers. Use the call to teach your affiliates how to sell your new products to their lists.

... talk about upcoming events. If you're doing a promotion of an existing product or a new product launch, this is the time to let your affiliates know about it so they can get it in their calendars.

... answer questions from individual affiliates

Unforeseen circumstances

When you have to be somewhere at a certain time, take into account the realities of life - not the realities of the perfect world you long for. Things are what they are, and will be what they will be, so what is to be gained by deceiving yourself?

Perhaps you're a sympathetic soul who is thinking, "But how could a person possibly have known there would be a thousand people trying to get through security all at once on that particular day?" Answer: It's not my job - or yours - to know such things in advance. Most people aren't clairvoyant, but everyone can be prudent.

And prudence means factoring in plenty of time for unforeseen circumstances . Everyone reading this article knows exactly what I'm talking about - an accident that backs up traffic for an hour... not being able to find a parking space at the airport... and, yes, being confronted with a thousand people waiting to get through security.

The reality is that unforeseen circumstances are an integral part of everyday life. And the only way you can exert any degree of control over them is to make the necessary allowances in advance.

Wealth and Wealthy People

There is no shortage of billionaires today. In 1985, there were fewer than 20 of them. Today, there are more than one thousand.

Wealth is gradually moving away from the United States. In 2003, eight Americans made the top 10 in Forbes' annual list of billionaires. This year, only two (Warren Buffett and Bill Gates) made the list. And less than half of the entire list is made up of Americans.

Still, 443 American billionaires is nothing to sneeze at. Nor is their collective net worth of around $1.6 trillion. At least for the moment, the U.S. still has the world's largest and most profitable economy. But India and China are catching up. Their economies are growing fast. And they are not wasting trillions of dollars on foreign wars.

With the dollar falling and our economy on the brink of a depression, it's highly likely that Americans will continue to get poorer in the next few years. It's also quite possible that the U.S. will be passed by China or India and become a second-tier economy. Even if that doesn't happen, Americans will have to take quick and drastic action to protect themselves and preserve the wealth they have.

One of the best ways you can create and maintain wealth is by following the lead of people who've already done it.

Thankful

Take the time today and make a list of the things
you're thankful for.

1. Your can walk
2. You can Read
3. You are Alive
4. You are reading this
5. You are going for your dreams
6. You can talk
7. You are loved
8. You are a friend
9. You are an inspiration to others
10. You are YOU
11. You can smell
12. You have fashion sense
13. You will not stop until you get what you want (Drive)

This is of course a quick list of some simple things
that we often forget about while pursuing the dreams.

Money to Make Money

The truth is, money just doesn't matter all that much when it comes to starting a business. I know from firsthand experience that it's possible to start a profitable business with virtually nothing.

When I began my entrepreneurial career, I was a college student living at home with my mom. And while there was enough money to pay the bills, there wasn't much more than that. I had a part-time job, but I was desperate to find a way to make more money. And though I had zero start-up capital, I had no trouble starting a pool service business. Before I knew it, I was earning three times as much as I had been making at my part-time job.

That business made over $100,000 its first year. Since then, I've started more than 20 profitable enterprises with under $100 in initial capital. So having minimal capital should never stop you from starting a new business. And it shouldn't stop you from marketing your business either.

Some people assume that they need to throw around big piles of cash in order to "properly" market a business. But a little creativity can go a lot further than money. Here, for example, is one zero-cost strategy I used...

When I was looking for ways to promote my ballroom dance instruction business, I discovered that most cable companies have a public access channel that's available to almost anyone in their viewing area. And there's more to public access TV than nutty shows like "Wayne's World." If you create a format for a show that's informative, it can become quite popular and bring in lots of business.

Keep in mind that cable access is supposed to benefit the community, so the cable companies can be finicky about too much blatant self-promotion. But they do allow you to say who you are or what company you're with, so people can find you.

One exciting thing about these shows is that the cable company bears the expense of producing them. For my show, I brought on guests and gave them a dance lesson on the air. I would arrange to have my guests meet me at the cable company's studio, where they had a director, three camera operators, and other stage help to produce the show. And I didn't have to pay anything for it.

You'd be amazed by how many people watch cable access. I was getting stopped on the street by people who were excited to meet that "dancing guy" from television. The show increased my business by about 25 percent. (I know that because I asked every new client how they heard about me.) And remember, I got this bump without spending a penny.

Not only did I get a steady stream of new clients, but having a television program gave me more credibility as an expert dance instructor. I began including the fact that I hosted a local ballroom dance TV show in my marketing materials, and I mentioned it whenever a prospective client asked about my credentials.

Almost anyone with a business that has a local customer base can take advantage of this strategy. If you're an attorney, you could have a program where you answer call-in legal questions. If you sell real estate, you could interview guest experts on your local market. If you're a copywriter or public relations specialist, you could provide information to help small businesses get more out of their advertising budgets. If you're a marriage counselor, you could work with couples on the air. If you run a restaurant, you could give cooking lessons. The possibilities are endless.

Four Ways to Make Your Portfolio Shine with Gold

1. Gold Bullion. These are gold bullion coins such as the American Eagles and Canadian Maple leafs. But I prefer the one- and five-ounce gold ingots available at most reputable gold dealers. Store in your bank's safety deposit box, or at home in a safe that's securely bolted to the floor.

2. The streetTRACKS Gold ETF (GLD). This fund allows you to invest in an ETF that owns the physical gold for you, but without the storage hassles. If you don't own GLD, consider buying it now!

3. Gold stock mutual funds: Some of my favorites: Tocqueville Gold Fund (TGLDX) ... U.S. Global Investors World Precious Minerals Fund (UNWPX) ... and the U.S. Global Investors Gold and Precious Metals Shares (USERX). If you didn't purchase when I mentioned them in last week's Money and Markets, I strongly suggest you look to get in now.

4. Top-notch gold mining shares. Best suited for more accurate timing,

Unique Visitors

Different analytics tools refer to unique visitors in different ways: "uniques," "absolute unique visitors," "unique visits," and sometimes just "visitors." But they all mean the same thing - your site's body count. Literally - the warm bodies who are sitting at computers clicking on your search engine listing and visiting your site.

Why is this important?

Measuring the number of unique visitors the search engines are driving to your site can tell you, among other things, how well your title and META description are converting searchers into clickers. Are you writing compelling copy that accurately represents how relevant your site is to the particular keyword you are targeting?

Web Analytics

Web analytics software allows you to view information about your website visitors and the way they use your website. With Web analytics, you can find out:

How many visitors your website gets
How people find your website
Which of your online marketing efforts has been the most effective
Which visitors signed up for your newsletter or bought something
Which pages on your website get the most traffic
Where your visitors are located
What your visitors use your search box for

3 Lessons

Nothing is more important than hiring and nurturing superstars. You need good employees to keep the cogs moving, but you need superstars to carry your company to the next level. When it comes to key executives in your company, don't settle for good. Go for great.

You can't attract good people unless you are honest about your company's problems and positive that you can overcome them. Nobody wants to work for a business that is doomed. And everybody, even superstars, takes their clues from the boss. So deal with reality, but - as Winston Churchill said - "Never give in, never give in... never, never, never!"

Embrace the process of making incremental improvements. At all times and in all feasible ways, work on making the relationship you have with your customers better and better.

Those are all good rules for entrepreneurs.

Here is how it works.

You create an information product that is, in some way, unique. You offer it for free by way of a website, blog, or e-letter. You build a list of qualified prospects that way. Then you introduce low-priced products to them, products that somehow provide them with benefits they can't get from your free service.

The buyers of these inexpensive information products become your "house" or "core" file of customers. You treat them like gold by offering them other free benefits and plenty of opportunities to buy more inexpensive products.

When your house file is sufficiently large (say, 10,000), you develop an expensive product. You sell that product to your house file and achieve a response rate you couldn't possibly get by going to outside files. If that goes well, you develop and sell a second and even a third expensive product. The buyers of these expensive products become your VIP file. During boom times, you can develop third-level, super-expensive products to sell to your VIPs.

You CAN learn to become wealthy!

Success is not encoded in an individual's DNA and does not transfer from father to son or mother to daughter. It is a process - and learning the process is a major KEY to setting up for success.


There will be many steps you take towards your goals where it will feel like you're taking two steps forward and one step back. You will have breakthroughs, triumphs, and opportunities to overcome adversity.

Get the important stuff done today!

1. Take Advantage of a Powerful Part of Your Brain.

Identify your most important outcomes for the next day before you go to bed. You don't necessarily need to know exactly how you will spend the day when you hit the sack. But, while you're sleeping, being sure of the results you want gives your subconscious mind a chance to figure out the best ways to get it all done. The next morning, when you plan your schedule for the day, you'll be surprised by what you come up with.

2. Include Anchor Activities in Your Schedule.

When planning your schedule for the day, make sure you include anchor activities to keep yourself on track. An anchor activity is a task that will force you to be disciplined.

For example, left to my own devices when I am talking to a friend/peer, the conversation might go on for hours. But if I have an important call to make 30 minutes later, I know I won't spend longer than 30 minutes on the first call. So the second call is an anchor activity.

Anchor activities ensure that though you might lack discipline right now, it won't interfere with what you must get done.

3. Do the Uncomfortable First.

Attack your most important, most intense, and highest leverage activities first. Doing so generates momentum and confidence you can ride the rest of the day.

4. Look at Yourself and Learn.

At the end of the day, evaluate your performance. If you did a good job, what, specifically, helped you get it done? If you got off track, what happened? And how can you prevent that from happening in the future? This step is frequently neglected... and that's a shame. Because it's the fastest path to ever-increasing productivity.