When we think of big success, we picture huge celebrations luxurious lifestyle and lots of pleasurable moments.
You want to really know what someone like Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal do after they win a big tournament?
They might take a short break.
But then they hit the practice courts with their coaches and go for basic drills that help them continue improving their game.
This is what makes them real professionals.
It’s that simple.
And it is what separates top performers for everyone else.
Now I realize that many of you are not professional athletes and instead ambitious entrepreneurs who want to live their mark in the business world.
But the idea is the same.
We all have big dreams and goals.
At the same time, we need to be a professional with whatever it is that we are trying to achieve.
Therefore we need to become very strategic about how we spend our time.
And we need to become consistent in our daily pursuits.
I want to share with you a simple technique that will literally make you unstoppable.
I call it Powerblock.
Powerblocks are units of time in which we work on ONE high-value activity in the same way like an athlete practices for a competition.
Now imagine for a moment what such a practice might look like:
Athletes don’t just randomly play football or tennis for hours and hours.
Instead, they spend a few quality hours with a coach who helps them improve specific aspects of their skills. They do this in a very focused and undistracted manner.
This is how they improve. Its what Anders Ericsson calls, deliberate practice.
In a way, Powerblocks are deliberate working units that help us move towards our business goals without working 12 hours a day.
For business owners and entrepreneurs, this means scheduling time to work on high-value activities that only we can do, in a very deliberate manner.
These activities will look very different for everyone of us, but they have one thing in common:
They require serious mental effort.
Let me give you a few examples:
- If you are writing a book or own a blog, you would be spending your Powerblocks on writing.
- If you have an online business, you would be spending your Powerblocks on creating content.
- If you are in sales, you would be spending your Powerblocks on sales calls.
Powerblocks are personal and adaptable.
However, to get started, let me share with you some guidelines that have really helped me and my coaching clients become super productive!
Start with Powerblocks as early as possible!
I recommend you plan your first Powerblock as early as possible.
I usually complete two Powerblocks in the morning, before I check my emails or accept any meetings. I know that whatever happens after that, I will have already done high-value work.
And that feels good!
Usually, I plan a 60-minute working session, where I focus on one activity. Then I’ll take a five to 10-minute break in which I get up, drink some water and move my body. My goal with this break is to feel relaxed and recovered. I do not check emails or browse my phone during this short break.
After my short break, I’ll do my second Powerblock.
I call this my Superset of Powerblocks!
In the afternoon, I’ll try and do another Superset of Powerblocks because I know that if I can complete three or four Powerblocks per day, I will witness real progress with any project I tackle.
Schedule Your Powerblocks!
I have no doubt that the biggest motivator for athletes, entrepreneurs and students is progress.
And this is really what Powerblocks are about:
Experiencing consistent progress and moving towards our most important goals on a consistent basis.
However, in order to incorporate Powerblocks into your life, it is critical that you schedule them into your diary in the same way you take note of any other meetings. I have alerts and reminders for my Powerblocks and treat them as sacred time in which I do not allow any interruptions.
I know this might sound obvious, but you will notice for yourself that if you do not schedule them in advance, it is very likely that you won’t do them at all!
Focus on One High-Value Activity per Powerblock
In order to experience real progress, we also need to focus on the right activities.
This requires that we have at least one main shorter term goal that ties into a longer-term vision. Only once we know what this goal is, can we define our true high-value activities.
For example, right now I am working on positioning myself as an high performance authority who is very focused on the mental aspects of success.
This is my long-term vision.
However, to experience real progress I also need at least ONE high-value short-term goal. My short-term goal is to create an Ultimate Guide that will hopefully be the best free available content on the topic of how we can master our own thinking.
I make sure that at least two of my Powerblocks a day are dedicated to writing this Guide.
Your high-value activities might be very different.
The fewer you have, the more focused you will be.
For example, if your big short-term goal is generating income, then your Powerblocks must be dedicated to at least ONE money generating activity.
If on the other hand your biggest goal right now is to learn how to speak Spanish, then you must dedicate Powerblocks to learning the language.
How many Powerblocks should you do?
Powerblocks will make you super productive if done right.
But they are also exhausting.
This is why we should avoid overwhelming ourselves.
I suggest you start with two Powerblocks a day- you can do them as a Superset.
Eventually, I would aim for four Powerblocks, so that you will still be able to do your best work without feeling exhausted or drained out.
I also propose you test doing each Powerblock for 60 minutes. If that seems too much at first, start with 30-minute blocks. But I would definitely not let them go beyond 90 minutes, because it is almost impossible to stay focused for so long.
However, please be careful.
It is easy to spend hours on so-called “Powerblocks” without being super focused and without working on high-value activities.
So remember: Quality trumps quantity here.
We also want to make sure that we find a place where we can work uninterrupted, and where we can really focus on at least one high-value activity for an hour, free from any distractions.
Track your progress!
Remember, our main goal with our Powerblocks are to experience real progress in whatever it is that we are trying to do.
Therefore I highly recommend you track Powerblocks on a spreadsheet. This will make it very easy for you to count your Powerblocks at the end of the week and review how you progressed towards your short-term goals.
When you review your track sheet, make sure you allow yourself to experience joy and satisfaction when having completed all your scheduled Powerblocks.
But also take a moment to finetune your Powerblocks so that they become more efficient from week to week.
This is how you will create a practice that will guarantee unprecedented progress!
But let me also give you a short word of warning:
As with all new habits, you might struggle initially.
But don’t let this discourage you.
Immediately recommit to this process, schedule Powerblocks and set yourself alerts and reminders that will prevent you from forgetting your appointments with yourself.
You will see, in no time Powerblocks will become part of your lifestyle and bring you lots of joy and satisfaction.
OK, to make sure you start on the right foot, take a moment and think about your single most valuable task right now, something that will move you towards a big goal you are trying to achieve.
Please share with us below in the comment section what this is.
Then, take out your diary and schedule your first Powerblock for tomorrow.
It’s that simple!