Principle: “Knowing where to put the ‘X’ in each part of your life is a critical determinant of everything you accomplish.”
There’s a story about a nuclear power plant had a malfunction that their own engineer’s couldn’t solve.
The plant management finally called in one of the nation’s top consultants on nuclear power plants.
For two days, the consultant walked around the plant, studying hundreds of dials and gauges, taking notes and running calculations.
At the end of the second day, he took a marker out of his pocket, climbed up a ladder, and put a large black “X” on one of the gauges.
“This is your problem,” he explained. “Repair and replace the apparatus connected to this meter, and the problem will be solved.”
He then left.
The plant engineers did as he suggested and sure enough, this fixed the problem.
About a week later, the plant manager received a bill from this consultant for $10,000…for “services rendered”.
The plant manager was surprised at the size of the bill.
After all, he reasoned, the consultant had only spent two days, walked around a little bit, placed a “X” and left. $10,000 seemed like a lot of money for such a simple job.
He wrote back to the consultant, “We have received your bill. Please give us a break down and itemize your charges.
It seems all you did was to write a big ole “X” on a single gauge. Ten thousand dollars seems excessive.”
A few days later, the plant manager received a new invoice from the consultant. It said, “For placing an “X” on gauge: $1.00. For knowing WHERE to put the “X”: $9,999.”
Having a clear and honest understanding of who you are, and what’s important to you is what separates the superior from the average.
It requires Honesty to step back and look at ourselves objectively to see what Current Reality really is in regards to these talents AND then be comfortable enough to be AUTHENTIC in our thoughts, actions and words.
Brian Tracy, in his book – “Focal Point” – says there are Two Steps you need to do to double your income.
First – Identify the things (the 20%) you do that contribute the greatest value to your earning potential.
Apply the 80/20 Rule or Principle – which states 20% of your actions contribute 80% of the value.
Then resolve to spend MORE time on those 20% activities.
Stephen Covey called them “Boulders” or First Things.
It’s learning to do The Hard Things First.
Second– Identify the 80% of your activities, customers, employees, products or services that provide low to no value and resolve to spend less time, effort and resources on them or better yet, eliminate them altogether.
Success is a choice.
There is an Abundance of Opportunities for everyone but only a small percent will ever find them – Why?
Because of CHOICE.
Those who become DOMINATE their market are Proactive.
They take Personal Responsibility.
Accepting Personal Responsibility means you refuse to make excuse or blame others for anything in your life that you’re not happy about.
Accepting Personal Responsibility is the very foundation of high self-esteem, self-respect and personal pride.
When you make excuses, blame others, complain or criticize, you essentially give away all your power to someone or something else.
These are all Principles or Natural Laws of God.
Here is the best definition of a Principle I’ve seen:
Principles are:
UNIVERSAL: They work everywhere.
TIMELESS: They work all the time. Past, Present and Future.
SELF-EVIDENT: You can’t argue against them.
Know what’s important. Know where to place your ‘X’.