Don’t even SLEEP until these 6 steps are DONE!

This week's question from my portal “The Neagle Code: Directions for Life” comes from Robert Smith.

Question:

Help! I'm struggling with distraction. I know what I need to be doing, and yet, so many things pop up each day that keeps me from completing those necessary tasks. Do you have any tried and true ways to deal with this situation?

Answer:

Hi Robert!

I see this as a very common problem with entrepreneurs, and even those that coach with me personally.

They wake up in the morning jazzed about the goals they are going to meet for that day. Their mind is full of thoughts about clients they are going to contact, the sales they are going to make, and the planning/marketing ideas they are going to implement.

And then something interesting happens…

They become DISTRACTED.

They begin fumbling through emails, doing laundry, running out for groceries, or “organizing” their office.

You see, distraction is your ego's way of keeping you EXACTLY where you are. And it provides you an excuse for resisting doing something you're afraid to do.

Entrepreneurs will cause all manner of distraction and use it as an excuse for not making sales calls, because they are afraid of rejection or what people will think of them. Another reason they attract distraction is to keep them from making decisions that they are afraid to make.

And the most insidious thing about it is that you don't even consciously realize that's why you've attracted the distraction in the first place.

Here's what I suggest…

Set a clear goal. This goal could be action, sales or financially oriented.

Each day when you wake up, write down the 6 most important things that need to be done that day to bring you closer to the goal.

Practice this every day.

Refuse to go to sleep at night until every one of those 6 tasks are completed.

It will take discipline, but it's the most important habit you can develop as it will have a DIRECT impact on the success of your business.

“Just Believe”,®

P.S: The Neagle Code: DIRECTIONS for LIFE is a weekly no-cost program that is open to everyone! Each week, I'll select and personally respond to one question received via the above “The Neagle Code” page that I feel in my heart will help the most people. (You may choose to remain anonymous if you wish, with our full support.) It is my deep, heartfelt intention that ~ in answering your questions ~ I may provide you with the Universal Truths that in committed application, will set you free. Simply submit YOUR burning question at: www.TheNeagleCode.com to participate.

P.P.S.: May I ask you to help me spread the word about this program? Is there someone you care for who is stuck, or struggling, or lost, or unhappy? Because if so, I would very much like to help. No matter their question, no matter their predicament, no matter if they've never heard of me before … if they would like to ask for help via www.TheNeagleCode.com, my Team and I will do our very best to provide that help.

16 comments

  1. Thanks David. Good advice. And celebrate. It feels really good to check each item off giving the feeling of accomplishment. I also have a really good guided meditation on my website that reveals what the resistance is, where it came from and clearing that fear or as you say, thermostat that unconsciously stops us. I think that even if the 6 items are really small, but we create a new norm, that of accomplishing our goals no matter how small. Going to start today.

    • You’re welcome Leah, thanks for the post. No matter how big or small the the goals may be, getting started only serves to move you forward. Keep us all posted on how these steps work to help you grow.

  2. Amen to this David! I’m a huge fan of focus and I learned it through a very hard 7 years of distraction.

    I have an exercise similar to the one you outlined, and I totally agree with it’s effectiveness.

    How many will actually try it though? 😉

    I’m in the middle of re-branding and re-launching my business, and focus helps so much 😀

    • Thanks Jason. The exercise is really simple for those who make the decision to free themselves from whatever holds them back. Best of luck on relaunching your business and we’re all setting the intention that your focus does not waver. I appreciate the post.

  3. yesterday i had a lot of energy for designing an upcoming program which was going to be an excellent opportunity to market my business. just when i was getting going on it, a friend called and told me she wanted to renovate and paint one of her spare rooms, something i love to do….i dropped everything and ran over and painted the room before i even got a chance to rethink it, telling myself it was my day to take a break and do something creative. of course i ended up tired and lost the momentum of the day which i will now attempt to recapture today. the good news is i saw it clearly this time though in retrospect. hopefully i wont let myself be so easily distracted next time. the daily commitment to 6 steps is a very helpful strategy. thanks

    • From what you’ve written Toni, it appears that these distractions pop up continually for you. You can justify them how ever you choose, but the proof is that they are keeping you from what you really need to do. Only you knows what that is. Follow the process mentioned above and don’t judge it. You’ll build the mental muscle when you make the decision to do so. Thanks for the post.

  4. Wonderful and true. Thanks for this reminder. I have been told to do this yet was falling into the same trap of distraction. Subtle, subtle are those subconscious ways that lead us astray. God Bless you David Neagle, I love your work! You have helped me to expand my thinking and reach many goals because you break it all down so beautifully and simply.

    • Thanks Crystal, I greatly appreciate the kind words. They can be subtle, but just in gaining awareness around them you have chosen to grow. The question is, what do you do from here? I would love to have you follow-up as you continue this journey.

  5. It’s my ego!! Thank you for that simple yet very spot-on explanation! I knew there was something I’m avoiding by keeping busy with “distractions”, now I need to figure out how to get rid of that. My fear of rejection is very real (to me) & has kept me stuck long enough. Thanks David for shedding light on that!

    • It certainly is Kelly. If you want to get rid of it you need to embrace your fear (which actually is not the truth since fear is a lie). In order to release yourself of your not wanting to be rejected, you need to place yourself in situations that facilitate that growth. It is the only way to move forward.

      • Thank you for this David and Kelly(for raising this topic), I find myself in the same exact place, I should do phone calls for my business but I am not doing them for the fear of rejection…. so to overcome this fear I should do what I fear most: phone calls…and for me is so painful,it’s really a physical pain. I wish I have found a shortage to this but it seems it doesn’t exist.

        • Exactly Daniela! Get on the phone and work through that which bothers you the most. Pay close attention to that pain in your body because it is trying to keep you where you currently are. Each conversation you have go into it with the mindset that you are giving rather than receiving. Now, having said that, in order to break through this terror barrier you will need to ask for the sale. If you get rejected in that asking, then you move on to the next.

          Pledge to make 100 phone calls in the next week and document what you are experiencing. Just like an athlete must workout to build up stamina, you too need to practice to perfect the skill. And believe me, sales is a skill. Get on the phone and make it happen! You’ll be amazed at what you’ll accomplish once this false ‘fear’ is over and done with. I’d appreciate an update…

  6. David, the timing of this post is profound. I overcame a fear that dogged me for years, and last week ran my very first teleseminar event. It went quite well, a few glitches here and there, but I did it! The fears that had held me back were the usual stories, primarily “who do you think YOU are…?” And amen hallelujah you are 100% correct – ACTION silenced the fear. (That’s my article in my ezine this week too! Another fear I overcame and re-started this fall!)

    Here’s the timeliness of this post: Right SMACK DAB in the middle of my event, I got a letter from a relative of mine. This relative has been on a letter-writing campaign to the family of late – there is no need to go into detail, suffice it to say that there is little doubt that she is mentally ill. Regardless, my own personal history with this person is such that every time I attempted to step up to center stage and claim the spotlight, she was right there to grab it away from me. I think it may be a reason why I’ve hidden in the shadows for so long, believing I didn’t deserve to be the sole focus of everyone’s attention.

    So when this letter arrived exactly when it did, **I recognized it immediately for what it was**. This would be a distraction for me if I opened it. It would throw my concentration off from my event and I would falter. Her words would fill my head with her guilt trips and give voice to the doubts planted there so long ago.

    I put the letter aside, and continued with my event. When the time is right for me, I will read it, but only when I choose to make the time.

    That decision was VERY empowering.

    • Congratulations on that awareness Patricia; we all sense how empowered you are by this act. Eventually you will be able to receive information like this and not brush it aside until you are ready, but rather acknowledge it for what it is and not judge it whatsoever. That is when you will be completely empowered. I appreciate you sharing here,

  7. Interesting that I happened upon this timely blog post as I was looking for information on your website regarding your next live event! Interesting because: The first thing I did when I got to my desk this morning was to write myself a huge note in bold marker that says “My #1 job daily is to make money — now!” Then what did I do? First I responded to a prospective client, but then, I got lost in the weeds — and I went to my email to see if there was info from you about your event.

  8. It’s really that easy Bev, especially when we are in that head space of limitless thinking. We’ll be going into this more in-depthly come February in my Breaking Free Live Experience. If you have yet to register yourself, use this link to do so:

    http://www.breakfreeliveexperience.com/

    You got this lesson for a reason; the first of many, many more. Thanks for the post.