Secret to Success from JP Morgan
I’ve heard this story from multiple sources; it may be fiction or it may be fact. Regardless it gets the point across of a tactic that few actually follow to be successful.
The following excerpt is quoted from (http://personalmba.com/quotes/jp-morgans-guaranteed-formula-for-success/):
One day, a man approached JP Morgan, held up an envelope, and said, “Sir, in my hand I hold a guaranteed formula for success, which I will gladly sell to you for $25,000.”
“Sir,” JP Morgan replied, “I do not know what is in the envelope. However, if you show me and I like it, I give you my word as a gentleman that I will pay you what you ask.”
The man agreed to the terms and handed over the envelope. JP Morgan opened it, and extracted a single sheet of paper. He gave it one look and handed the piece of paper back to the gent, pulled out his checkbook, and paid the man the agreed-upon $25,000.
The paper read:
- Every morning, write a list of the things that need to be done that day.
- Do them.
Something so basic, simple, and brilliant is so often overlooked. I try to wake up in the morning and produce a list of things I want to do. When it comes to the execution of those tasks, I get side tracked, or remember another task to do, or an exhausted, or simply find a reason to postpone the task. To alleviate some of these common failures in execution, I came up with some tips.
First and most obvious you need a list of things that you need to do for that day. Take the list and reorder in order of priority. Example, studying for my upcoming Multi-variable Calculus Final has higher priority than catching up on my RSS feeds or reading the newspaper. Once the tasks are in order, break them into smaller subtasks that can be crossed out when complete. Example, the task is to study for my final so my subtasks can be to reread Chapters 5,6,7; go over lecture notes; study homework assignments 14 and 15; study online quizzes. This level or organization helps keep you moving through the task; studying for a final can take days (or hours if you’re like me and every other college student) so breaking it into bite-sized chunks of subtask will give you the satisfaction of completing necessary items as well as accomplishing the large goliath of a big task. I have found this basic addition to JP Morgan’s success has helped me stay focused on my end goal as well as focus on specifics that I may have forgotten if I didn’t write it down.
I will be starting my reread of David Allen’s book, “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity”, and posting about some ideas that I can refocus on.
