About a week ago, our Tampa Bay community was almost hit by Hurricane Ian. What amazes me about the time leading up to a Hurricane is how mentally consuming it can be. It's incredible how it can take up so much of our thoughts. You can't go 10min without thinking about it. And then, after it happens, our routine ideas resume. What is taking up a majority of your thoughts? Is it helpful? If not, is there an end date?   by Eric Papp

Have you heard this saying before?  The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. Why do we wait?  Why do we constantly talk ourselves out of taking action?  Procrastinating Thoughts  I'll do it when it feels right, or I don't feel like doing that and I have to be in the mood  In the world of performance: Feelings don't matter, only action.  by Eric Papp 

It just happened? What happened? I can't see it or hear it.  Come to think of it, I do feel less confident. Comparison We do it all the time throughout the day and are mostly unaware of it.  Comparison often reduces our confidence and increases our procrastination.  If you are unfamiliar with this, I invite you to rate your mood on a scale from 1-10 and then spend 30 minutes scrolling through your social media feed. And then rate your mood.  Please think of how many times we do this throughout the day. I know from experience that it's much harder to get things done when my confidence takes a hit.     by Eric Papp

I'm sure you hear of FOMO.  Fear of missing out.  Well, I'd like to add FOCOM to your lexicon.  FOCOM = Fear of Commitment Do you see it in our society today?  Friends are waiting till the last minute to finalize weekend plans, just in case another offer comes along.  Business professionals not wanting to make a decision, so we delay or create a committee. Or someone who wants a goal doesn't even take the first step because their history of failure cripples them from committing. And our internal thoughts often hold us back.  What happens if it doesn't work out?  What happens if I can't deliver on my promise?   What will people think of me? Yes, these are real concerns but should this prevent you from making commitments?  by Eric Papp 

As I watched Notre Dame's lead of eighteen points slowly evaporate me, the backup quarterback from Florida State, methodically moved his team down the field and scored a touchdown. I started to compare the two FSU quarterbacks, and it was simple. The second one Makes Better Decisions. Their quarterback who started the game is bigger, faster, and stronger, and I can see why the coach started him. He showed moments of promise, but followed it up with a costly error, leading to three-interceptions. Though, as fate would have it, his helmet came off during a play, causing him to sit out. In came the second quarterback; who immediately delivered a great pass. FSU's coach kept him in, and with each play after that, it became evident that he made better decisions than the starting quarterback. Make Better Decisions How can you make better decisions? Answer: Process information at a higher/faster level and read one book on an area you want to improve. There is a reason why most Fortune 500 CEOs read one book a week: they are often faced with making significant decisions. ...

Move three projects a mile rather than a hundred an inch. Taking on too many projects is one of the main downfalls of a lot of companies and departments. As a result, focus, resources, and energy become scattered, and employees can feel like they are pulled in a hundred different directions trying to accomplish all these projects. When Steve Jobs went back to Apple and regained control as the CEO, he quickly discovered that they were trying to do too much. Apple was working on over 400 projects, and Steve's leadership and focus had trimmed it down to 10. "People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on, But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully." Steve Jobs. A consistent filter allows you to decide; is this a good idea for another time, or is this our next project. In my program Managing Multiple Priorities, I provide a tool that project managers can apply right away with their teams. Below is an abbreviated version of it. Project Filter: A process to clarify and organ ...