A 3 step method to consistently achieve exceptional results, outlined by author James Clear.
Who Is James Clear?
James Clear, as he outlines in his webpage, is an author and writer.
Since 2012 he has been publishing articles and newsletters on habits, decision making, and continuous improvement.
He is best known for, however, Atomic Habits: a book with timeless knowledge on habits.
The book is the #1 New York Times bestseller, has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 50 languages.
Exceptional Results
The phrase, exceptional results, is incredibly vague and can mean different things for different people.
Exceptional, as a general term regards something rare, great and extraordinary.
Exceptional results are something that many desire, yet often fail to achieve.
Why?
There’s a great number of factors that contribute to why people fail to achieve their goals and get exceptional results.
Ranging on the person, here’s some factors:
- Lack of motivation
- Lack of clarity or direction
- Lack of resources and skill
- Lack of a reason (you need a strong why)
No matter the contributor, this 3 step method works to eliminate all of these factors, and outlines a sure way to achieve those exceptional results.
If you stick to the method, there’s a great chance you will achieve the exceptional results.
The 3 Step Method
I. Do Less
II. Do It Right Now
III. Do It The Right Way
If you stick to these 3 steps, which will be outlined in detail, you’ll be on the right track.
I. Do Less
The Wrong Notion
As a whole, we have a completely inaccurate idea about what it means to be truly successful and happy.
We are always looking for more.
We chase the things we do not have, we desire the things that are not ours, all so that we can have more. We work longer hours, take on more projects, and do more things.
This is due to the fact that, wrongfully, we equate doing more work with more success.
It makes sense, right? If you work for more hours, surely you’ll get more done and be successful?
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Always doing, wanting, and trying to have, more, is in fact incredibly counterintuitive.
Negative Impacts
We often think that doing, having and being more, etc, is the most efficient way to go about things.
However, in reality, things are the exact opposite; always striving for more harms your productivity.
A few examples of the negative consequences;
- You have less energy for the things that matter (family, friends, exercise etc)
- You’re constantly fatigued, and maybe even sometimes angry and frustrated
- You’re likely to become overwhelmed with the sheer amount of work
- You’ll be more inclined to procrastinate
- Having and doing more serves to keep your environment constantly cluttered.
In short, there’s a great bunch of negative impacts when it comes to wanting and doing more.
The most significant consequence, however, is the fact that doing more leaves you with incredibly high chances of burn out, which is a state of intense physical and mental exhaustion.
In regards to being burnt out, you simply lack the energy for any type of work, even if it is meaningful and deadlined.
Your chances of reaching burn out are much higher when you push yourself to work more than needed.
Less is More
It’s clear that doing, trying and having more has negative impacts, ones that serve to harm your productivity more than help it.
And so, what’s the solution?
It’s not quick magic, but it’s a pretty good solution nonetheless; do less.
In this case, less is always more.
Rather than trying to do every job in the office, or achieve every goal, condense it down, try and do just a few things.
Why?
As seen with the negative impacts of doing more, there’s positive impacts of doing less;
- You can focus on those few, meaningful projects
- You have much more energy, ambition and motivation
- You’ll have time for other activities (gatherings, exercise etc)
- Your focus, when working, will be much more enhanced
- A general increase in productivity overall
- Much less risk of burnout
The most significant reason to do less is that, however paradoxically, it actually helps with your productivity! It can increase it significantly.
When you’re working on a million projects, your time is split haphazardly, and it’s unlikely that you can ever get any real work done, for you always have another thing to do.
If you focus on just one or two meaningful things, however, you can devote lots of time and energy to those things, ensuring that the work is much higher quality.
How?
There are plenty of ways to do less, ranging from Warren Buffets 5/25 strategy, to simply picking 1 thing to focus on.
For Warren Buffet (even though we’re not entirely sure if it’s his strategy), he uses the 5/25 rule.
Step 1. Write down your 25 most important goals
Step 2. Draw a circle around your top 5 goals.
Step 3. Focus on Your Top 5 Goals and Say No to the Rest
This strategy enables you to eliminate any other distraction, any other thing that could potentially harm your productivity! You can just focus solely on those 5 things.
However you do it, the message is clear; pick only a few (maybe 1, maybe 5) key things to work on, and don’t divide your attention elsewhere.
Less is always more.
II. Do It Right Now
Prioritise Action
With clarity on your goal, aim or or task, prioritise action.
Maintain a bias toward action. — James Clear
Without action, you will not achieve those exceptional results. It’s a harsh truth, yet it is one worth accepting and acknowledging.
You need action if you ever want to move forward.
You will have to take action, you will have to take the first step, you will have to get the ball rolling. It is your responsibility.
If you fail to do this, you’ll stay exactly where you are; stagnant.
Why Now?
The better question here is probably, why not?
When you have clarity on the absolute essential, why not get things into motion?
Now
There is no better time to act than now.
You have everything you need, the best thing you can do is simply go for it, right now.
III. Do It The Right Way
The Wrong Notion
With the idea of acting fast and getting into motion, people can get the wrong idea.
Acting fast does not mean acting carelessly.
It does not mean going all in to something without a thought.
To act carelessly is to set yourself up for failure from the very start.
Acting quickly doesn’t mean acting carelessly. — James Clear
Think It Through
Rather than acting carelessly and potentially making a great mistake, take some time to think, plan and reflect.
Prioritise taking time to cultivate a solid plan, all the way to the end.
Ensure also that you keep an open mind; the plan may need to be altered.
When you take this time to think, you can ensure that your actions are not careless, and that you’re more likely to do it the right way.
When you get to work right away, prioritise consistency, errors and mistakes. Keep working on it till it’s right.
In regards to careful, thought out action,, it is best to follow the 3 P’s framework.
P — Plan
P — Purpose
P — Preparation
Plan
You must map it out to the very end, and stick to this plan. Of course, with a few alterations from time to time.
You must have a vision: where you want to be, what you want to achieve etc.
With this vision, guard it and do not let anybody get in the way.
Purpose
What is the why behind your actions?
Who, or what, are you doing it all for?
Cultivate a strong sense of purpose and then constantly remind yourself of it; you’ll be near unstoppable.
Preparation
Take the time to prepare. Emotionally, physically, mentally.
Achieving exceptional results is not going to be easy. It may be the most challenging journey you’ve ever embarked on.
Moreover, it may not even initially work! You may commit mistake after mistake, and you may become inclined to give up and resort to the easy path once again.
You must prepare yourself for all of that.
Prepare yourself for the worst; embrace the stoic idea of premeditatio memori.
Prepare yourself for the obstacles, for the adversity, for the turmoil.
Remember that you can handle it, that you can come out stronger, that you can achieve the exceptional results.
In Conclusion
If you desire exceptional results that set you aside from the 99%, prioritise and implement James Clear’s 3 step framework.
I. Do Less
II. Do It Right Now
III. Do It The Right Way
If you stick to these 3 steps, which have been outlined in detail, you’ll be on the right track.
