This morning I got the head's-up from Joe Vitale that Aaron Potts has challenged other bloggers to list the top 5-10 things they do every day to be successful -- and to post the list today.
That's funny because I had a dream about Joe Vitale about an hour earlier. He was at my house asking me for some advice, and one of my classmates from The University of Phoenix was there, too. Joe left and my classmate asked who Joe was. I explained that Joe had just been on Larry King! My classmate was impressed, to say the least.
So I could conveniently start my list by saying "I pay close attention to my dreams," and while that's true sometimes, it's not what I do on a daily basis.
For years I tried time management systems and other systemization systems to get myself into regular habits, but nothing ever seemed to stick. Things got done, mind you. But not on an even-keel, regular basis. More like in a "heated rush," to quote the lyrics of the Pointer Sisters in the song Slow Hand. Not so much that I would rush through things, but that there would be periods of focused intensity, followed by free-form periods which to my annoyance and amazement, nothing much seemed to get done.
This pattern might have tortured me all my life if it weren't for a Google AdWords ad that popped up to the right of my gmail email system (no, the address is private and you can't have it). It was for a book called The DaVinci Method. I bought the book and read it with entranced fascination. Suddenly, I understood something about myself that there was no explanation for before.
My life and the pattern haven't changed much since I read that book, but my peace of mind about not being at one with a DayTimer does.
In other words, most of my days are unique and different from each other. I pay attention to what's in front of me. I don't make a lot of plans. I get done what needs to get done.
But there are a few things I do worth mentioning:
1) I take supplements. The best one I've ever come across is called Max GXL. I get it through a network marketing company. If you're interested, email me at my regular email address and I'll send you info -- it's all online. I'm also a huge fan of Dr. Dave Woynarowski's supplements, and I take five of those: Monster Multi, Fish Oil, Instant Einstein, Immune Boost, and sometimes Sleep Wizard.
2) I exercise. Mostly, walking. I bought a rebounder and started using it, then stopped. I'm going to start again soon.
3) I follow my intuition. This has not been an easy habit to get into. First, I've had to learn the difference between messages from my intuition and emotional impulses. That's taken a long time. Secondly, intuition provides information but rarely instructions on what to do with the information. Learning how to interpret and follow up on that information is an art in itself, and requires quite a bit of left-brain (logical) discernment and finesse, in my experience.
4) I follow the Warren Buffett Triad. That's my term. I did a lot of research on Warren last year for an article I wrote for Denny Hatch's Business Common Sense ezine. Warren (the world's second richest man) claims he only does three things all day: He reads. He talks to other people. And he thinks. That Triad suits my temperment pretty well -- although I do other things each day as well.
If by now you're saying... "Gee, David. I didn't get much out of this post to help me with my own success!" ... I'll give you the one piece of advice that I can't quantify or label as a daily habit, but it is a continuous theme for me. Learn. Keep learning. Learn to learn better and faster. That's what I do and have done and I would say, bottom line, that is the entire secret to my success.
David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter