A Routine that Changes Everything

You don’t rise to the level of your intentions. You rise to the level of your routines.

Exceptional leadership is built by doing ordinary things consistently. Don’t fall in love with bold decisions. Drama corrupts judgment. Win with daily routines.

A universal principle of success: Don’t wait for motivation. Build a routine that makes meaningful work inevitable.

Choose One Routine

#1. Protect Your Best Hour

Reject the tyranny of moods. Our love affair with feelings weakens us. Moods don’t determine priorities.

Every day has peaks and valleys.

Do what matters most when you’re at your best.

2 questions to focus your best hour:

• What can you do that your future self will thank you for?
• How can you give energy to today’s big rock?

Here’s a radical thought. Charlie Munger sold his best hour to himself. He invested in learning. Don’t sell your best hour to your inbox.

#2. Recharge

Love movement. Go for a walk.

Beethoven, Kierkegaard, and Tchaikovsky all used vigorous walks to develop ideas. Read Daily Rituals by Mason Currey.

Great ideas come through your feet.

#3. Schedule Leadership

Good intentions fade. Routines endure.

Most leaders spend too much time running the business.

Trivial work steals time. Schedule people development.

Put coaching, mentoring, and recognition on your calendar.

#4. Be Boring

Clutter dilutes impact. Distill life into essentials. Only do what matters.

I live a boring life. Constant busyness offends me. I eat in. I give my energy to a few things that matter.

If you can’t be boring, capture a few short moments of solitude.

Challenge: Put one meaningful leadership routine on your calendar.

Which routine would make the biggest difference for you?

7 Habits to End the Day – Leadership Freak