Productivity Warren Buffet Style
Nailing down productivity.
Most of you will have heard of Warren Buffett, arguably the most successful investor of the 20th century. It could be argued that Warren Buffett learned how to monetise his time better than anyone else on earth.
Many years ago one of his long-term employees asking how I could become more productive. Warren asked the man to go away and think about the top 25 priorities he had careerwise.
After a while the employee returned with the list. Warren read it diligently and then asked him to go away and circle five things from that list.
This took a while because all of the things on that list were important in all things were valued. Eventually though, he managed to whittle it down to 5 things.
These two lists he took back to Warren Buffett. He thanked him and said that he was going to work on the top five goals straightaway.
Allegedly Warren Buffett asked him what he was going to do with the second list. He replied he was going to work on an intermittently because they were all important.
Warren Buffett told him that the list of 20 things was the list of things to avoid at all costs. He said, never touch these 20 things until you have completed the first five.
This is a ruthless act of minimalism. One of the things that I have learnt from hanging about with seven figure a year earners is the fact that they have this singular ruthlessness.
They complete a task or they kill it. They don't think about it they don't start it they totally ignore it whatever the cost.
I have to admit that when I use the strategies in my business I am at my most successful.
Recent Comments
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What an incredible man. Thank you, Catherine, for that very interesting insight.
Colette and Philip
This is awesome advice! All too often so many of us get involved in other projects, or websites before we even finish our first one.
I have to admit, I am somewhat guilty of splitting my focus at times. Working on my site, while trying to tie up all the loose ends with my other e-commerce endeavors. I really need to get back to writing out a daily "to-do" list, so I make sure I keep myself on track and complete the tasks I set for myself, instead of getting distracted and preventing myself from moving forward.
Thanks for sharing!
Great advice. Something that I do is create a weekly "list" of things to do, as I am working on them other things naturally come up and I put those to the bottom of the pile. Before I finish one of the first items on the list, I don't have any remote focus on the rest.
Loosely translated you agree with Warren Buffett. I have to say my own productivity is so much better when I do just that. A weekly list is a great idea
Interesting info. I respect and admire Warren Buffet(although politically we are diametrically opposed) He is one of my idols. Thanks for sharing, Tom
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Keeps you from wandering and worrying makes perfect sense!Thanks Catherine!
Thanks