Psychology of Maximum Effectiveness

Real progress comes from elimination

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If you look for it, there is a great contradiction in how most people spend the New Year. They sit down, decide their resolutions, and usually end up “adding” something…but the greatest changes I’ve seen in my most successful clients have come through subtraction. 

Most people will think of “progress” by adding to their lives and work — a new fitness routine, a new habit, a new product release, etc. On the face of it, all of these things are wonderful…but most try to shove it into an already crowded and ambitious agenda. Ultimately, the weight of their existing commitments ends up minimizing what could’ve been tremendous progress. 

Being too spread out is a loss of power that dilutes you, and will slow you down.

Even the most effective person gets less effective with each new task or project they take on. 

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Our schedules are packed, commitments are crowded, and our goals are far too many in number. This is true personally and professionally…but in your enthusiasm to “do it all,” you’ll need to stop stacking to pull ahead. 

A few years ago, I had a client who made incredible progress during our time together, and as we wrapped, one of the revelations he left with was, “The more I focus in on this one thing, the more motion happens — I have to prevent myself from getting distracted.” 

Distraction doesn’t just happen because of simple dopamine hits from cell phones and social media (though these things don’t help). It happens from seeing possibility everywhere and being unable to limit your bets, it happens from having your hands (and head) in too many things, and it happens because of a very different way of thinking — that you can tighten up. 

If you want to get the results you’re looking for, let’s position for elimination and explore the psychology you’ll need to bring to the table to get your best performance.