<READING TIME: 2m54s>
A survey done on a number of self-made millionaires revealed something interesting.
Only 21% of them were “A” students.
41% of them were “B” students.
And 29% were “C” students.
So what can that tell us?
Seeking “A” work is not a determinant for success.
And that if we aim for a “B-minus” (B-) quality output on our actions we’re likely to be more productive and successful.
This makes sense because the additional effort and time that takes us from “B-” to “A+” will likely give us an overall negative return on our time investment.
In strategy, this is also called: “The law of diminishing returns”.
Here are some simple ways you can embrace “B-“:
- Focus on consistency instead of quality/perfectionism
- Choose the 10% of actions you’re willing to give A+ effort to, and for the rest embrace B-
- Give yourself a time limit on tasks and honour the limit set (however be realistic when setting those limits, especially when learning how long something will take)
- Be willing to release or launch something at “C” or “B” level and use the feedback you receive to fix and edit as you go along
- Reduce the time given to certain tasks that don’t produce high-impact results (e.g. admin related tasks; answering emails)
The aim of “B-“ is not to reduce quality – it’s to increase output.
Because done (B-) is always better than perfect (A+)!
TAKE ACTION:
- Notice the areas of your life where results are slow or where you find yourself spending lots of time without much to show for it – are you perhaps looking for “A” quality output here? And how can you instead embrace “B-“ quality?
- Notice if your brain tells you that you’re confused or uncertain or that you don’t know what to do next – this is an indication of you trying to find the perfect solution. Instead ask: “What is the next best step towards the final product or result I want here?”
- Where would you like to create more consistency? And how can you embrace a “B-” level of action in this area?
- Decide which actions or areas in your work and life you’re willing to give “A+” level effort to, and decide that you’re happy to embrace “B-“ for the rest
- COACHING: If you find yourself focussing on perfect outputs or finding perfect solutions or not being able to create consistency in certain areas of your work, then book a free consultation with me here.
