Each of us has our own way of getting things done. Some of us have the ability to get more things done faster and more efficiently than others. I’m often asked, “Larry, how do you get so much done? How do you stay focused with so much going on in your life and business?” My usual response is that I have people smarter and harder working around me that makes me looks good. But the truth of the matter is that I developed a 3 Step Process for maintaining focus and for knowing exactly what I need to do to achieve whatever I am working on.

This “process” is called, “Larry’s 3 Steps to Success.” I have probably taught this process to more than 10,000 people around the world. The feedback that I have received from my students has always been that it has helped them maintain focus and to have a plan for achieving their goals. It is not rocket science, but a simple process that I use in every area of my life. I use it in my spiritual life, my family life, with achieving better health, my professional and financial life, and I’m applying it to having more fun in my life.

The process is broken down into Goals, Strategies, and Action Plans. I am a firm believer that you must have written goals for each area of your life. Most of you that know me, know that I am a Man On A Mission and you know that this means I have 5 priorities in my life. I call them my 5-F’s. 1^st “F”, Faith, 2^nd “F”, Family, 3^rd “F”, Fitness, 4^th “F” Finances and 5^th “F”, Fun. Faith, Family, Fitness, Finances and Fun. For each of these areas of my life I have very specific and written goals. I also have strategies for accomplishing the goals. And, for the strategies I have specific action plans. The “goals” are what I want to accomplish. The “strategies” are what I am going to do to reach the goals. The “action plans” are the implementation of the strategies.

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But to make sure you stay on track with accomplishing your goals, you must be sure that your goals are very specific and well written. For example, your goal can’t be “I want to be a millionaire.” We all know everyone wants to be a millionaire. So what else is new? You have heard me quote this before from H.L. Hunt, American’s first billionaire. Mr. Hunt stated that “you can have anything you want in this life, but first you know clearly what it is you want and then you have to ask yourself if you are wiling to pay the price to get it?” Well “Larry’s 3 Steps to Success” is a way for you to do just this. If you want to be a millionaire, then you must clearly write out that you want to be a millionaire (either from total assets or ‘liquid’) and you must state by what date you want to accomplish it. For example, I might state my goal like this. “My goal is to have $1 million cash saved, earning a minimum of 6.5% interest by January 1, 2015.” This goal is specific. A million dollars ‘cash’ and earning a fixed interest rate by a certain date in the future. Now that’s a goal!

Now to reach your goal you are going to have to do a little homework. Well, maybe a lot of homework! To determine what the “price” is that you are going to have to pay; you need to determine HOW you are going to reach this goal. These are called your strategies. Remember, strategies are “what” you are going to do to reach your goal. You may have to research 15-30 different strategies before you settle down on the strategies that are best for you.

I like to recommend that you choose the 3 best strategies that you are most likely to implement and fit within your capabilities and budgeting. One of the ways that I do this is to see the ‘end goal’ in my mind. I ‘picture’ the million dollars in cash sitting in my bank account and I’m looking at the annual interest statement that says I am earning 6.5% interest on my million dollars, or $65,000. With this picture in my mind, I think start thinking backwards as to what I had to do to achieve those million dollars. I picture what steps I had to take to ultimately accomplish the goal. I then just “walk-backwards” to step #1. This visualization really helps me in everything that I do. It can help you too.

So, for each goal you set, you have to research and pick the top 3 strategies for achieving the goal. In my own life, each of my strategies will have subcategories that help me along. I’m sure yours will too.

From strategies you move to “action plans.” Action plans are the actual doing and implementing of the strategies. Each strategy has a beginning and ending date. You have to put a time limit on your actions. This helps you maintain focus and lets you know at all times what you have to do.

I recommend that for each strategy, you develop 3 specific action plans.

So, my 3-Steps to Success looks like this, so far.

1-goal

3-strategies

9-action plans (call them plans, or steps, or anything else you want. The “doing” is key!

Using this process will always keep you on track and help you maintain focus. We all know in business, and in life, our plans don’t always work out. Using “Larry’s 3 Steps to Success” process will always provide you with specific steps you can follow to achieve your goals. If strategy #1 doesn’t work out using the action steps you outlined for that strategy, then you don’t even have to stop and start over again. You just move to strategy #2 and follow those action steps. I’ve never had to reach Strategy #3 because the first two failed. However, I’m often implemented strategy #3 to help me move quicker to my goals.

To summarize, to maintain focus, try “Larry’s 3 Steps to Success” process. For each goal you have in your life, regardless of what part of your life it is, you want to have a well thought out and clearly defined goal. For each goal you want to have 3 well researched and written strategies. For each strategy you want to have 3 (9 total) well researched and written action plans with start times and dates and ending times and dates.

Goals – Strategies – Action Plans! These are absolutely necessary if you want to maintain focus and achieve your goals! Give it a try; I’m confident that this process will work for you. It has helped thousands of others achieve their goals.

Until next time, may God be with you and may HE always be first in your life!

MAN ON A MISSION!

Larry G. Ledford