On Sundays I’m looking back on the past week. How did I perform towards my goals? How did my blog do? And how am I keeping up with my productivity habits?

Blog performance

Average daily subscribers:	1074	( 3)
Average daily visitors:	221	( 13)

Still working on other stuff besides blogging. I have been writing a lot last week, because I started to write an e-book. It’s about discovering your personal core values, and it’s progressing very rapidly. I guess the time was right, because most parts of the book have already formed in my head.

My activity online reduced to virtually zero because of the other activities and the e-book. I have even taken a break from Twitter to focus on the other projects. Next week won’t be different, so this is most likely the only post I’ll write this week.

Progress towards goals

Good progress on the renovation. No progress on the marathon goal.

Renovation Project
Status:
Overdue, since 02/2008.
Progress this week:
Good progress. Windowsill is nearly ready, needs a coat of paint before I can really finish the construction. Did a lot of small jobs that made a lot of (visual) progress.
Planning next week:
Painting. Finishing windowsill and sliding doors.

Semi Marathon training
Status:
On hold, but still on schedule. Deadline is October 12, 2008.
Progress this week:
I planned to do a 4k run, but I did not run this week (again).
Planning next week:
Do at least one 4k run.

Productivity Habits - weekly review

No news.

On Sundays I’m looking back on the past week. How did I perform towards my goals? How did my blog do? And how am I keeping up with my productivity habits?

Blog performance

Average daily subscribers:	1077	( 1)
Average daily visitors:	208	( 2)

No real changes on the stats front. I haven’t been very active last week, as far as blogging for this blog was concerned. I’ve put my effort in other activities that will eventually lead to more time for blogging. You’ll notice it in posting frequency when that pays off.

Progress towards goals

I started with the renovation project again, and the elbow is feeling okay again. Finally some progress again. It’s kind of frustrating to not be able to work on something you really would like to finish.

Renovation Project
Status:
Overdue, since 02/2008.
Progress this week:
Finally some progress again, it’s really time to get this job DONE.
Planning next week:
Finish windowsill, sanding

Semi Marathon training
Status:
On hold, but still on schedule. Deadline is October 12, 2008.
Progress this week:
I did not run this week.
Planning next week:
Do at least one 4k run.

Productivity Habits - weekly review

I’m finding it increasingly hard to write something useful in this section. I’m quite satisfied with most of my productivity habits. I’ve worked through my backlogs and I have conquered the email monster. There’s still room to simplify more, but like I said I’m generally satisfied.

Grown-ups make things way too complicated. This is the toddler’s approach to getting everything you want.

1. Mastering six words is enough
   Yes — No — Mama — Papa — That — Bah
   Those are all the words you need to get around and get things done.
   Variation in volume seems more effective than variation in vocabulary.
2. Don’t ask, just do
   If you want to do something, don’t ask, just do.
   If you want to have something, don’t ask, just get it.
3. Don’t listen, just don’t do
   If you don’t want to do something, simply don’t do it.
   If you don’t want to have something, simply don’t take it.
   Have it already? Drop it instantly.
4. Pointing gets the message across
   If you want something but can’t reach, just point and say “That”.
   If you don’t want something, point and say “No” or “Bah”.
5. Turning your body away gets the message across
   If you really don’t want something, turn your body away.
   Out of view is out of existence. Treat it as such.
6. Ardently waving and repeatedly saying “No” has effect
   If your parents decide that you have to do something and persist,
   turn away your body while waving your hand ardently at them.
   Now say “No” repeatedly and walk away.
7. Add screaming, tears and stamping your feet for more emphasis
   When your parents are really persistant,throw yourself on the ground.
   Start crying and screaming “No” loud and repeatedly.
   Stamp your hands and feet, throw stuff around.
   Slam doors and smash stuff.
   For added effect: do all of this in public spaces.

8. Make sure to spend your energy wisely
   Tantrums cost energy. Conserve it when there’s no obvious effect.
   Go full blown and flat out of your mind, when effect is guaranteed.

9. Saying “Papa” or “Mama” during a spontaneous hug afterwards works wonders
   After all of the above, walk towards your parents in a quiet moment.
   Climb on the couch, and hug them spontaneously and say “Papa” or “Mama”.
   This seems to erase all negative effects from the above instantly.

On Sundays I’m looking back on the past week. How did I perform towards my goals? How did my blog do? And how am I keeping up with my productivity habits?

The elbow is getting better and better, hardly any pain left. I still need to rest it, although it feels like I can do anything again. Better be safe and give it another week before I start doing serious stuff again.

Blog performance

Average daily subscribers:	1076	( 14)
Average daily visitors:	210	( 16)

I updated the design of the stats last week. I like the green arrows

Progress towards goals

No progress again this week, due to elbow injury.

Renovation Project
Status:
Overdue, since 02/2008.
Progress this week:
No progress. Arm needs rest.
Planning next week:
Resting my arm, making sure it gets well.

Semi Marathon training
Status:
On hold, but still on schedule. Deadline is October 12, 2008.
Progress this week:
I did not run this week.
Planning next week:
Resting my arm, making sure it gets well.

Productivity Habits - weekly review

One thing I could do this week was typing, and working on site design. I worked on both aspects on both my blogs from home. Most of the times when writing or designing I need to be able to get my mind to concentrate on the task at hand. But this week I got interrupted too many times. Very inefficient!

I’ll be glad if the office is ready (my renovation project) and I’ll be able to close the door and get those hours of undisturbed concentration. Come on, elbow. Heal!

Goal setting is not a mind game. It is a process of developing the internal willpower to accomplish what you have set out to do.

~ Joan Benoit Samuelson (Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist)

Setting goals is one of the ways successful people use to get themselves moving. They use it, among other techniques, to stretch themselves and accomplish more than the average person. They don’t use goals as a trick though. The goals they set themselves are the result of an inner desire and get so ingrained in their system that there’s no way to stop them.

Joan Benoit Samuelson called it the process of developing the internal willpower to accomplish what you have set out to do. She won the first ever Olympic marathon for women in Los Angeles in 1984. I’d say she knows what she’s talking about.

The willpower needed to accomplish goals is not a fixed and unchangeable trait. It’s not something you either have or don’t have, it’s a trait that can be cultivated, trained and developed. There are several things successful people do to get that willpower ingrained in their system.

They focus on doing one thing right

To get that willpower successful people choose to focus on only one thing, but they do that extremely well. It takes guts to make this choice, because it goes right against common knowledge! In school we learn to spread our risks and never put all our eggs in one basket. While that minimizes the risk of losing it all, it also minimizes the chance of any real success. Even Warren Buffett works by this premises!

I can’t be involved in 50 or 75 things. That’s a Noah’s Ark way of investing - you end up with a zoo that way. I like to put meaningful amounts of money in a few things.

~ Warren Buffett (big time investor)

The mention of Noah’s Ark is funny, but I’d say Noah was kind of focused on one goal as well. And a pretty serious goal too!

They work hard to improve themselves

Successful people have in common that they work hard. No, even harder than that! They work - work - work and practice - practice - practice. They develop an inner drive to be better today than they were yesterday. And if they feel they’re not there yet, they don’t stop for the day yet. Success is not an accident, it’s the result of a lot of hard work and of wise choices.

It’s this work and improvement ethic that helps to develop that internal willpower to accomplish what you set out to do. It’s the “Don’t quit…ever” attitude, and is built on a strong belief that they will be successful at it at some point in time.

I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you’re a musician, a writer, an athlete or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you’ll win-if you don’t you won’t.

~ Bruce Jenner (Olympic Decathlon Gold Medalist)

They can easily snap into concentration mode

Besides focusing on only one thing, which is more mid to longterm oriented, successful people have developed the ability to fully concentrate at the job at hand now. They block out all distractions, physically or mentally, and direct all their energy on the activity they are executing in the present.

And that activity is more often than not focused on their goal and destined to improve them to accomplish it in time or sooner. And that ability to concentrate is one of the ways to get there sooner!

When every physical and mental resource is focused, one’s power to solve problems multiplies tremendously.

~ Norman Vincent Peale (positive thinker)

Photo by starryeyez024