A detailed system that will help you achieve your professional and personal goals Moving the Needle provides both the "kick in the pants" and the game plan many of us need to break out of the rut and get moving to achieve our goals. CEOs, vice presidents, professionals, military personnel, and even college students frequently express frustration at the entrenched status quo, in which initiating progress feels like moving mountains. This book lights a path toward continual improvement, helping readers first find a direction, then make the key transitions that jumpstart forward progress. This highly practical guide outlines a change process that can be applied to professional or personal goals, giving readers a concrete plan for making big things happen. Rather than blindly shooting for the moon, readers will formulate a solid, systematic, actionable plan that can only result in progress.
In today's tenuous business climate, employers and employees alike can be glued to the ground, unsure of the path they should take, or whether they have the freedom to move forward. Moving the Needle helps readers clarify their current position, identify their optimum position, and formulate a workable strategy for getting from here to there.
- Find what "moving forward" means for your career and life
- Shake off the doldrums of routine and establish a culture of innovation
- Improve performance on a consistent basis, at every level
- Break the inertia and get moving in the right direction
Stagnation is diametrically opposed to progress. Moving forward requires a vision, a plan, and the impetus to get things done. Those who sense that big things can happen need to get clear, get free, and start Moving the Needle.
Table of Contents:
Foreword Dave Winfield xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction Why This Book? xvii
Section I Get Clear
1 When It Comes to Getting Clear, First Get Quiet 3
Our Obsession with Busyness 6
The Sound of Silence 7
Have an End Goal in Mind 8
1. Set Concise and Realistic Goals 8
2. Ask Why—Of Yourself and of Others 9
3. Don’t Wait around for Something to Happen—Take Action 11
4. Manage Momentum 12
5. Secure Support by Building an Army around You 13
6. Last, Be Thinking about Game Changers 13
See All Obstacles in Your Way 13
2 Life Balance and the Life Decision Wheels 17
Another Way to Look at Life Balance 25
Balance or Fulfillment and Satisfaction 26
3 Get Clear with Your Life Mission 31
A Winning Formula 34
Passions 34
Strengths 35
Service to Others 37
The Big Eight Questions 39
1. Why Are You Here? 39
2. Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 40
3. What is Your Life Mission? 40
4. Do You Take Full Responsibility for What Happens in Your Life? 40
5. How Do You Differentiate Yourself from Others? 41
6. How Can You Do a Better Job of Building and Serving the Community You Are a Part Of? 41
7. Will You Take Action to Make Any Necessary Changes? 43
8. Are You Ready to Make Mistakes? 43
Getting There? 43
4 Understanding People’s Needs 47
The Need to Belong 48
The Need for Love 50
Taking Care of Those Closest to You 51
5 Clarity in Differentiating Yourself 55
The Four-Step Process to Differentiating Yourself 58
6 Getting Clear by Creating Your Ideal Day and Ideal Life 64
Planning Your Ideal Week 67
Planning Your Ideal Month 67
Planning Your Ideal Year 69
Planning Your Ideal Life 69
Have, Do, and Be 73
Section II Get Free
7 Get Free by Taking 100 Percent Responsibility 89
A PhD in Entitlement 91
The 200-Year Rule 92
Every Day is a Bonus 95
8 Your Perspective Determines Your Freedom 100
A New Gift of Freedom 101
9 Freedom and the ZAP Concept: Zones, Alignment, and Paradoxes 107
Getting into the Zone 108
Alignment and Freedom 112
Managing the Paradox 113
10 Habits and Getting Free 119
Moving from Unhealthy to Healthy Habits 122
Taking Inventory 125
Staying on the Straight and Narrow 125
Education versus Entertainment Habits 127
Habits of Attitude 129
Habits to Begin and End the Day 130
11 Get Free with Energizing People and Activities 137
The Rule of Three 140
Taking a Look Around 141
12 Get Free with Your Money 147
Dealing with Debt 151
Credit Cards: A Form of Modern-Day Slavery 152
A New Way of Looking at Money 153
Section III Get Going
13 The 5/10/15 Plan 159
The Value of a Great System 161
Making the Right Connections 162
The Plan 163
Get Going on Building Your Client Base 165
The Personal Touch Never Goes out of Style 166
14 Wingmen and Bird Dogs 170
Your Circle of Friends 174
Round Up Your Bird Dogs 177
The Value of Mentors 178
15 Mindstorming Ideas 183
Seeing Results 186
Lawyers, Accountants, and Bankers (LAB) Nights 187
Final Thought 189
16 Differentiating Yourself with the Sweeney 22 193
The Sweeney 22 199
The Wow Factor 200
17 Putting It All Together 204
Conclusion 25 Key Takeaways 213
Notes 219
About the Author 223
Invite Joe Sweeney to Speak to Your Company or Organization 224
The Winning Game Plan 227
Index 229
