Motivation comes with results, not with ideas. Inspiration is an excuse for loafers

After posting the previous interview with Oleg Braginsky I got a lot of messages and requests – find out Oleg’s secret of goal setting and planning. What does he apply for himself? Indeed, revealed results look mighty – want to know the methodology of managing accomplishments.

 

– Oleg, in December many people think how they spent the year. Do you have a method of analyzing results? How can you benefit from summarizing results of year?

– Summing up the year probably is not the best way. Measure indicators every day and weekly on Monday. Working with fast businesses. Imagine that you know the dollar exchange rate once in a year. How to decide: buy or sell?

 

The most changing indicators are estimated in the mornings: likes, reposts and comments of eight profiles and six groups. In the evenings, I check views, likes, dislikes and comments of 120 videos filmed in 2016.

 

Weekly I check popularity of the last 350 posts and 20 video channels, where there are videos having more views than mine. Every week monitor my financial, sport achievements and the number of links in Google and Yandex.

 

By 09:00, December 28, 2016 numbers since the beginning of the year:

- 336 posts, 1’467’941 symbols on 77 topics on 730 lists with vocabulary size of 17’971 words get 3’411’2495 views and 51’923 reposts

- send out 45 email marketing messages with a total number of opened letters equaling 108’253

- added 101’000 links in Google и 248’000 in Yandex

- duration of posted 126 videos: 59:34:13

- sport achievements increased by1,31%

- financial figures grew by 21,2%.\

 

— I was interested by one phrase: “The one, who has a goal, achieves, the rest help to achieve others’ heights. People are different, for someone it is forgivable to waste internal existence”.

— We have to be different. Someone is good at cooking, another – theatrical scenarios. A chef and a playwright need different skills. Not anyone wants to be a leader, someone want to inspire and support.

 

We talk about productivity, that is why we use verbs of efficiency, if we talked about art – would use romantic adjectives. Soulful sufferings and doubts create “tantalized” or random masterpieces.

 

It is not necessary to run kilometers and write volumes to come up with great music. Surfers wait for waves for months, creators can have a delay. Even if there are no surprises – they still have a chance. Not everyone is a genius. Not everyone needs goals.

 

- On the other hand, there is an opinion that firmly set goals turn us into robots, the taste of life is going away. Just achieve tasks without a break trying to see a distant aim. Does this exhaust?

-Pointlessness, doubts and excessive self-criticism do. Goals are set and solved as usual without pseudo-achieving. Who will be interested in you when you are tired? Fit body, fresh face, clear thoughts, immediate insights are valuable.

 

A crooked back, a wrinkled suit, dark circles under eyes and dullness show that you cannot care of yourself and time, consequently your time is not worth nothing. Agree, sounds harsh, but what is the point of smoothing – you can feel sorry for yourself, others will not mercy.

 

It is better to spend time on setting goals, decomposition by time, results and deadlines. Set a goal, achieve and encourage. Become a self-controller – it is better than obey others.

 

The taste of life shows up with achievements, super results, admiration of friends and suspicion from enemies. Do what impossible to reach, solve unsolvable, attempt the truly impossible – ikigai. Weak people shun and give up a ski track.

 

Since March 9, 1993 I monthly wrote letters to the Dalai Lama, asked for the audience. Understood that one reason is not enough, but I could not realize that I had to write 300. It took 25 years to meet. If I did not achieve, would not tell anyone. No one cares about attempts.

 

- Got it, aims are necessary :) How to separate cravings from dreams. What requirements should a goal meet?

- It should be so high so you are afraid of to take it. Otherwise it is not a goal, it is a fast and loose game.

A dream does not have deadlines, a craving is not in the calendar. Achieving is possible if you contribute enough number of time slots. At the cost of squeezing the schedule. Loved ones and relatives should not suffer.

Energizing goals give a boost. Imagine that you achieved that. Will you tell someone? Does the reaction motivate? No – then do not take it and do not plan to show off. Moderation and sensibility – the last filters before the start.

 

- Pros and cons of the SMART approach?

- SMART works for hired ones. It is a method of controlling and suppressing. Do – get, do not handle this – get a punishment. Need a leash, whip and yelling? Cannot live without the master? Then jump right in the yoke of fashion abbreviations.

 

The freedom defines determination to win despite all advice, complaints and reproaches. SMART is for cautious ones, increase figures by 10%, so during 20 years of career increase by 10% without risk and overstressing. The strongest need the top right now.

 

The advantage of SMART is notable when dealing with freelancers, suppliers and mediators encouraged by rewards and penalties. The master does not steal, the ideologist does not loaf around, the owner takes good care of personal resources.

 

- What goals of 2017 do encourage Oleg Braginsky?

- Double figures in all directions. Learnt this while working with the Korean office of Samsung. Annually their managers moan that doubling is impossible and every year without exception achieve target milestones.

 

Organic growth is not noticeable for friends, hilarious for enemies. An explosive trend amazes supporters, discourage roasters. Otherwise, there will be no magic. It looks like the peaceful ordinary, the function of sluggish time.

 

- What instruments of fixing long-term goals do you prefer (paper, computer, apps)?

- Vitaly, I think it is a formal question, we know each other for a year :). A notebook and a pencil, Google-calendar and Excel sheets. A brain does not need crutches.

 

- Are those instruments a habit? Or they completely solve tasks, trendy apps are not necessary to have deals in order, are they?

- The phrase “matter of habit” is not acceptable such as “like everyone else”. Since spring 2016 I every day read the whole book, not half. Experiments on myself are going constantly – want to test many thoughts on myself, some on clients. Master instruments, but aware of becoming their hostages. Often see people applying a trendy method out of place. It is silly to hammer nails with a microscope, repair a camera with an axe – cool.

 

- I got: you can achieve more with structured goals. Ambitious goals and high bars motivate. How to proceed from the inspiration “it is going to be cool” to work? Fears of failure and doubts feed procrastination up to gigantic measurements and the process is not moving on.

- Think about the goal from the point: “It is so cool! Why?” Results motivate, not ideas. Inspiration is an excuse for loafers. Like muse. You can wait for the grass to grow or just do it.

It is hard to start, here are the reasons:

- do not know what to do

- do not have skills

- afraid of failures

 

It is easier to dream rather than do. It is more pleasant to chat than make a mistake. Recently a techie from Yandex told me he did not believe I have created an antivirus: “Technically it is hard and no one can do it alone”. Did not say that I wrote three programs, one passed tests of VirusBulletin.

Hard does not mean it is impossible. If you do not make this – others do. Ambitions create the scale, reputation broadens horizons, mistakes are not an excuse for moaning. It is better to continuously lose face crawling to dreams rather than getting fat on a couch discussing crawling ones.

 

- Oleg, did you have failed goals? A mighty one, a good plan, but “something went wrong”? How to fix mood, not catching “kickback”? What are the main reasons of failing goals?

- Failed and fake goals are much more that achieved. Why did I get degrees with honors and work on PhD – do not know. Wanted to please relatives. They were happy for five minutes, I was working for years.

 

It is important to catch “kickback” yourself. No whining or moaning. Openly and honorably. Understand what went wrong, where I weakened myself. Realized where I got it wrong, was too lazy, got my hopes up. A failure is compared to a punctured tire – found a hole, patch, move on.

 

- Do you have enough motivation from a bright aim for the whole distance? Assuming you had a good start in January, in the middle of the year the rate dropped considerably. Do you use something to boost your interest?

- I do not know the word “motivation”, use “sustained systematic”. Efforts are not important, crossing the finish line is more important. The distance requires a strategy, foresee falls and breaks. The speed does not guarantee victories. Bet on stubbornness and grip. The task does not amaze me, no need for recharging. The life is long, the task is not the final. Lowering interest is an indicator of unimportance, poor preparation, weak knowledge. The longer you plan the more you run. The light of knowledge is a credible lantern.

 

Opening “School of troubleshooters” I planned to teach 200 skills, that means making presentations, 150 lists each. Every Saturday and Sunday I read lectures from 10:00 to 21:00. No time for boosting.

 

- Let’s talk about skills and knowledge. How do you define the depth of learning a skill? To solve any task, you need to have the depth of a certain set of skills. Often the time to acquire a skill/problem is limited, what is the best way to measure the volume and the depth?

- I do not have measurements of the depth of skills. There is an approach to acquire: write three articles, host two guest lectures, record a podcast, read five books, apply them. This order does not let to “get other people’s thoughts”.

 

Whatever I do, there are always advisors: “it is wrong”, “cannot make it”, “does not work out”. Eminent experts of industries, famous consultants, homegrown experts know how to do it right. But I do.

 

I was offered to promote my profiles in LinkedIn and YouTube, saying my posts are weak, cannot record podcasts, the speech is weak. But I am a leader, not they. I was advised to write a book, that is why I write articles. Now I have 650, aiming at 1000.A criterion of acquiring is applying in a client’s project. More than once I saw strong fighters losing. Useful implementation is more important than acquiring a skill. In sport the prize is awarded per scores, in businesses – fees.

 

- Do we need to consider and formulate limitations towards the goals? What is the best way to work out this moment?

- The boards are important in order not to come up with an impossible solution, but not terrifying – they are a part of solution. They are walls I push from. After review it is the only way that is credible because the result is unknown.

When I wrote the raucous hacking tool hed, I was limited by the memory of 64Kb. After achieving thousands of orders on Fido, the program stopped at 56Kb and could not be compressed by archivers.

It turned out to be a nice tool. No one created anything similar so far, a range of technologies was purchased by software giants. Limitations helped to write the code thoughtfully and sparingly. This approach helps today.

 

- Is there any chance of this situation – approaching a goal, it changes/disappears? Is it okay? What is the best course of action to take?

- A goal disappears becoming a part of a bigger plan or it is not relevant any longer. Do not accept other reasons. I cannot negotiate with myself, lead astray – do not let it. Take off a task is cowardice, not achieving goals – self-betrayal.

My webinars and videos on YouTube have been criticized by everyone. Adjusted my bite, worked on my speech, breathing and views went up from 10 to10000. Did not have thoughts on retreating, I was driven by determination to show the “A” game.

Think defining the direction, not starting actions. Excuses are in favor of short-sided, silly and weak.

 

- How not to cross the line with achievements, so the segment of “family” is not fallen outside? Is that possible?

- The indicator of danger is eyes of the woman. When the loved one say that she needs me – give up everything and switching to “family life”. Do not know other options. I am a close person for relatives. Achievement does not overshadow relationships.

 

- Oleg, would like to share with readers of the interview the step-by-step plan of actions which allows to get more in 2017. Assuming that goals are set.

1. Conduct the audit of goals – makes sure you are not stubborn for a tick.

2. Reduce the number – three is enough, achieve – set new.

3. Check on compatibility – are not disturbed by each other.

4. Sort resources and skills – something is missing, where you will get it.

5. Make a weekly plan – what to do, how to check.

6. Imagine that you achieved it – this is a springboard.

7. Focus on the super goal – what I do, live for, who I please.

 

- What is the best way to start the planning system? What should be the first steps?

- Planning is like home redecoration, start with the design project:

1. Plan – what you want to achieve: advance your career, get money, succeed in mastery.

2. Direction – personal efficiency, external accomplishments, entry into interesting circles.

3. Fight – what disturbs, out of date, stops.

4. Who/what helps – who I will recruit and where ask for support.

5. Prize – why was it all about.

 

- How to conduct an audit and define the plan of professional development?

- Follow the goal: increase income, show up in the hierarchy, start a business.

In the first case look something you can benefit the most. English is all around, but people pay more for Japanese. Search for rare and practical competences.

 

The second one requires master copying: find out why people standing on higher stages are “cool”. Contentiously assess yourself and kindly theirs. Estimate the difference and reduce the gap.

 

The third option – a project vector: stock up on patience and work out scenarios. If you are not ready to give the car or apartment as a pledge for loans, it means you do not believe in the business, the chosen industry or the invented approach.

Patiently prepare “breed” in search of bright ideas. A fast start into a false direction does not bring to the target, an inapplicable skill will not help.

 

- What skills should be developed to move faster? Where exactly we need to “sharpen a saw”?

- A normal human types 97-112 symbols per minute. Spending 12 hours in total you will type 400+. I type myself 560 and write an article per day. Personally, watched a speed of 815. Touch typing boosts five times and pays off in a week.

Due to speed reading I read 400 lists per hour. Every day I read at least a book before its publication. This year I have read 403, 19 of those will be released this January. Training takes 60 hours and pays off in a month.

Mental calculation helps in estimating and lets me bargain without a calculator. It takes 20 hours to acquire, boosts calculation six times and pays off in a quarter.

Memorizing loads chains of numbers up to 300 symbols. It takes 30 hours of training, pays off in three quarters, lets save up on telephone numbers and recalling names of 500 accounts. Live without a phone book, do not be afraid of losing a phone.

Sharpen the saw with “short keyboards” of everyday programs – learn combinations so you will not use a computer mouse and a program menu. Using the mouse and trackpad lowers efficiency two times because you are distracting a hand.

 

Author: Oleg Braginsky

Translation: Marina Alexandrova

Source: Interesting life