“Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss is a book often given to kindergartners and college graduates because those are the milestones we consider to be the bookends of education. But speaking to a group of emerging leaders in California recently made me think: Education never really stops. These were a group of individuals hungry to progress and ready to succeed. What they wanted from me were tools and strategies to help achieve their goals. I left my time with them inspired by how far it is possible to go when you want to learn.

I’ve spoken before on the need for humility to achieve growth, but you also need courage. An ever-changing work environment necessitates learning new skills or developing our existing skills. Not only does it require humility to see the gaps in our competencies, but courage to do something to fill them. Courage to take the first steps; courage to find the time in an already packed schedule; courage to conquer the fear of failure. And here it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Our fixation on the desired outcome can leave us feeling inadequate, discouraged, and unsure of where to start. We procrastinate and get stuck in a holding pattern instead of achieving our goals. To combat this kind of outcome thinking, I recommend focusing on the process. Prioritize, choose three daily wins and write them down. This type of micro-focus has allowed me to accomplish my goals at a faster rate, maintain a high level of confidence, and reduce the number of disempowering thoughts throughout the day.

I teach these strategies to professionals all the time, but even I can be surprised by just how many life situations they are applicable to. As Dr. Seuss exhorts, escape the waiting place and achieve — three daily wins at a time.

By Eric Papp
Time Management Speaker

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