The 3 Master Keys to Execution
Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 11:18PM Thomas A Edison said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." Ideas are everywhere; hundreds, thousands, millions, if not billions are generated daily. Ideas, by themselves, are not special. What is special is when an idea finds its way into the mind and hands of someone that has the rare and incredibly valuable ability to implement it. Nothing happens until someone executes a plan born of that idea.
A mentor once told me that there are very few business people that can truly execute, especially at the strategic level. There are plenty of tacticians among the workforce and small business owners, but just a select few that can both think and plan strategically and drive execution tactically. These are the individuals that achieve extraordinary results. (I suppose this is why there are so few CEO's and why such a small percentage of the population controls such a large portion of the wealth.)
There are 3 master keys to execution. If you already possess these then chances are you have absolutely no shortage of money and/or power. Not necessarily power to control things and others, but personal power and the power to get whatever you want almost every time.
Master Key #1: (Ruthless) Prioritization: There are, believe it or not, only 24 hours in one day. If you subtract, say, 10 hours for sleep and other routine daily activities then that leaves you with 14 hours. Each day you get to choose how you use this precious time. Can you honestly say that you are using each of these hours to their fullest? Squeezing out every last drop of meaningful productivity and progress towards achieving desired short- and long-term outcomes? If you can truthfully say "yes," then congratulations because you are one of the elite few. To achieve great things it takes crystal clear perspective of the priorities that are in alignment with your goals and aims.
Master Key #2: (Unshakable) Focus: Prioritization encourages focus because when you know your priorities you tend to focus on them. And, as they say, what you focus on expands and thus you will be directing more time and energy to your priorities. If you want maximum results you must develop the unshakable ability to fully engage in a task and focus. This seems challenging to some entrepreneurs who claim to be "ADD," but, if they are successful I guarantee you they possess the power of focus when it counts. How can you develop focus? Just like you develop any skill...practice.
Master Key 3: (Relentless) Follow Through: Prioritization and focus are important; however, they matter not if you lack the ability to follow through on the projects and tasks you have prioritized and are focusing on. Follow through means knowing, with exceptional clarity, what the end result is that you seek and driving towards that result with impunity. This means operating with a target or a goal that is well defined and realistic. It is hard to follow through when you are after a goal that is unrealistic or ill defined. This is where the bread is buttered and where the rubber meets the road. You must follow through, relentlessly, to achieve what you want. Warning: This philosophy may make you unpoular, however, entrepreneurship is not a popularity contest.
Entrepreneurship, Peak Performance, Productivity 
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