Nike Are Right: Just Do It!

I would argue that speed in business is crucial.

• Speed builds momentum
• Speed creates results
• Speed provides success
• Speed attracts money

On the other hand:

• Lack of speed impacts momentum
• Lack of speed delays results
• Lack of speed sets up failure
• Lack of speed equals lack of money

We’ve all been guilty of putting things off, procrastinating over something that needs to get done. And procrastination is a killer when it comes to success in business.

Let’s be honest, we’ve all done it. We know we need to get that report written. We know we need to put together that email sequence. Develop a new Facebook marketing strategy.

Whatever it might be, we put it off, and put it off, and put it off. There is always something more urgent that seems to demand our attention.

The point? Very often the thing we are putting off, whilst it may not be urgent, it is important. A new Facebook marketing strategy is important because it is a potential route to new customers and clients. An email marketing sequence is important because it means we can follow up more effectively with the customers we do have. And so it goes on.

But for any number of reasons, these important tasks don’t get done. Instead, they get put to one side and very often, never get done at all.

It’s what I call the execution gap. In other words, between having an idea, and that idea becoming a reality there is a need for EXECUTION.

So for instance, we have the idea to write an email follow-up sequence. We know it’s a good idea, we know it will be a great way to follow-up with customers and we know it will create great results.

But 3 months later, the email sequence still isn’t written and hasn’t become a reality. Why? Because there was no execution. Instead we put it off. It might only have taken 2 or 3 hours work to get the task done, but 3 months go by and nothing happens.

And let’s be honest, we’ve all been there! But, the reality is, there is no excuse. A 2-hour task shouldn’t take 3 months. And still not be done.

And of course, the price business owners pay for procrastination is huge. Lack of execution and lack of speed of execution has a massive impact, because it means, lack of momentum, lack of results and ultimately lack of money.

On the other hand, when we execute, when we get things done; we gain momentum, we get results and we achieve success including financial success.

Consequently, we need to shorten the execution gap. In other words, shorten the time between an idea and that idea becoming a reality in our business. And that takes discipline.

Full disclosure. It is one of the things I have struggled with in the past. Great ideas being delayed because I didn’t execute.

One discipline I have found really helpful is the 2-hour morning discipline.

In the past, at the start of each day, I’ve checked emails, I’ve done a bank reconciliation, I’ve read through files. And before I know it, two hours have gone by and I haven’t achieved very much. Whilst all these tasks may need to be done at some point, in truth they don’t need to be done first thing.

So instead, I now set aside 2 hours at the start of the day, between 8am and 10am and execute on tasks that are important and that will ultimately produce results.

So for instance, this morning, I’ve written this blog article and I’ve also started to put together content for an email newsletter I am launching in the New Year.

I’ve found those first two hours in the morning to be really productive and of course there is a cumulative effect if you do it every day. No doubt, you will find what works best for you, but the key point is to have something marked in the diary and then sticking to it.

Remember speed of execution builds momentum and creates results.

Put simply, delay doesn’t! Instead, it sets you up for failure.

So, find what works for you, narrow that execution gap and GSD – get sh*t done!

Or as Nike are fond of saying: Just Do It!