Not so long ago, we told you there comes a time when you are down and out, in a slump, and with nowhere or anyone to turn to. In the article; want to take over activities at the White house? We also told you about the principle the dream is free but the hustle is sold separately.
Today however, I bring you The 90 Day Concept that will not only allow you to do more in less time but also transform your life and career. Most popular with this principle is Eric Worre. You may already know him. Mr. Worre is a professional network marketer, a motivational speaker and a business advisor.
A lot has been said about this guy but based on his story, his life and fortune changed in September 1992 when he first adopted the 90 day concept and later soar further midyear 2005 when he put the concept to test a second time. From struggling & “making ends meet”, Eric now claims a huge portion of financial freedom.
Interestingly enough are his arguments on the 90 day concept. Eric says that success loves speed and a no-nonsense period of intense work. He says the concept can surely change your life from one seen as inferior to an average level, extraordinary, and a legendary status. According to the marketing expert, the slow and steady mentality doesn’t win the race that is life. Worre says that “once in a while you need a boost in energy, which you should maintain for some time before moving to the next level.”
So much about that, the 90 day concept is about planning an aspect (or several aspects) about your life and career on a three month basis. It’s about setting a particular goal (in my case, I always set 3 goals –life, family, and career) and remember not only planning but also working to achieve it within the annual quarterly time frame. When it comes to this concept, you don’t have to ‘crawl’ forever in life or even at work. It includes the following steps and the explanation for each pertains to work and business building but could be applied elsewhere:
STEP 1
Set your goal. This could be about your expected promotion to the next rank at the work place or the amount of increase in earnings you expect from work or your business venture. Use the SMART goal-setting guide: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timely.
STEP 2
Mind your pre-launch. This is the time before you start your 90 day period of intense work and sacrifice. At this point, you’ll not only plan and prepare but also gather whatever else you might require during the 90 days such as resolve any issues with family, friends, colleagues etc that you may need to address before you begin; take an inventory of your available resources; things you may need in the process (even skills set you need to learn).
List down ALL the tasks you can think of to move towards goal completion. I usually set a timer for 20 minutes and start writing down the required steps in making the goal happen. I move away from my list once the timer goes off. Yes, I take a brief mental break and I do it again until I have listed down all the necessary action steps to reach my goal.
Once I have the big picture with all the details, I go to my calendar and start scheduling the action steps. Tip: Anything not scheduled will NEVER happen. So, go ahead and schedule an appointment with yourself to decompress regularly –a spa visit is always a nice reward for your hardwork!
STEP 3
Launch your “90 day Plan”: this is the time you start your ‘all out massive action plan ‘. At this point, you are IN for your goal and you expect NO less than stellar achievement at the end of the 90 day period. While at it, you are likely to increase your working hours, interact less with your family or friends, spend more time away from your favorite programs on television, and also you are likely to radically reduce weight (which may be a good thing) BUT please make it a priority to be healthy. Of course, the intensity of your implementation phase is dependent on the magnitude of the goal. Make sure to align your priorities and schedule accordingly.
The 90 day concept is somewhat interpreted differently at the work place compared to business building. It scores a significant meaning to you as an individual and to your employer. The 90 day concept often implies your first 90 days at a particular job that you are likely newly recruited or promoted in. But even with this, Worre’s 90 day work plan still applies (only the specifics vary). Most often, when we finally get selected for the job, we get all giddy and dreamy! We tend to lose our focus because we finally got the job that we have been waiting for –all we can think about now is starting work and follow the stream where it will take us.
HOWEVER, it is more beneficial if we keep our sight in the prize via WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) and HCIGV (How Can I Give Value). According to Forbes Magazine, you have the first three months to learn the ropes around a new job. And while at it, they suggest you take the following 11 tips:
- Understand how your manager and the organization in general measure success;
- Take your colleagues out for lunch or coffee to understand more about your job;
- Identify people in the organization that you can trust to help you learn and grow;
- Take your time to understand the organization and products or services offered;
- Strike a conversation with people with whom you don’t often interact to gather more info;
- Seek to understand the big picture even if your particular job is that of entry level;
- Set up a pattern of being trustworthy mainly through your commitments and action;
- Make it a habit to keep track of your time and write status reports you can refer to;
- Meet your manager regularly, set the agenda and discuss your progress and improvement;
- Also, you may find it effective to under promise but over deliver on your assignments;
- And you’ll also remember to be friendly to other employees but with professional limits;
On the other hand, if you happen to be the employer who has hired a new employee then your applicationof the 90 day concept will slightly differ. ONE important task to remember is to engage the new employee by regularly communicating with them, once in a while take them out for lunch or coffee (get to know them as a person with aspirations), maintain an open door policy at the office, include both short and long term goals for the new hire (setting the expectations both ways), carry out a regular employee review to assess their progress at the end of the period or advice on points of improvement. Lastly, once in a while sponsor a “get together” for your staff. This is the human relations step during the first 90 days ALL employers need to prioritize — COMMUNICATION & SOCIALIZATION: these two factors are crucial in strengthening the company culture.
So, why 90 days? A book to read regarding this topic is The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter by Michael D. Watkins. He views that your first 90 days on the job is in fact a transition. A role shift takes place during this change. Watkins emphasized that a quarter is a recognized time frame in the business world, “companies often track how much progress they make each quarter –and you should too.” Anything we don’t keep track does not expand.
I am BIG believer of the 90 day concept, I have applied this in my transitions to new jobs (scored myself several free trips and career ladder opportunities) and most importantly, I built my first brick and mortar business, Early Learners International School (and other businesses after that) by executing a “90-day No Fail Plan.” Remember, anything you don’t measure or watch out–it will never grow or get accomplished! Grab a copy of my 90 Day Concept template to get you started in mapping out your goals.
Originally published at www.zensavvymomma.com