Lesson 19: Goal-Setting, Part 4, Tools
My friend Michael Hyatt has reviewed seven apps that will help you get up and running, hare-like, but will also pressure you stick to your plans, tortoise-like. His review is here.
Of course, new apps will come. Ignore them. All you need is an old tool that you are comfortable with because you use it regularly. If it keeps you on track, you don’t need a “new, improved” piece of software.
What if you do not have a smart phone? I don’t. Then there are free online programs to try.
http://lifehacker.com/5873909/five-best-goal-tracking-serviceshttp://www.brighthub.com/office/home/articles/105787.aspx
Do no reading today. Try out at least two of the programs. Try out at least two tomorrow.
My Philosophy of Tools. You should set this goal: to master about a dozen pieces of software. What do I mean, “master?” You should become an instinctive user of no more than 5% of a program’s features — the ones necessary in your regular use. Almost no one regularly uses more than 5% of any program, let alone gains mastery.
You should learn one new program a year. By learn, I mean “know what it does well enough so that you can use it from memory when you need it.” But you will not need 80% of them more than 20% of the time.
Focus on the ones you use at least once a week. Gain mastery of those you use every day. These tools will make you a power user.
It is daily use that makes you a power user. It is dependency that makes you a power user.
You must seek out new programs that may increase your productivity in a new area of your life. But do not spend more than three hours learning. Re ready to say, “I won’t be needing this in the future.” But occasionally you will find a tool that will help you greatly. Master it.
You maximize your output by specializing. Master the programs that you use daily. Become proficient with the ones that you use weekly.
The right tools can let you achieve amazing results. Let me show you an example. You know about fast-draw handgun shooting. It’s in cowboy movies . . . and nowhere else. But have you ever seen a serious fast-draw master in action? Probably not. Watch this. You will not believe it, especially the balloons.