Win Your Day the Agile Way | Getting Results

“Nature favors the flexible.” — JD Meier

Are you ready to unlock your full potential and achieve high performance every day?

Welcome to “Win Your Day the Agile Way.”

As someone who has thrived in dynamic environments and led high-performance teams at Microsoft, I understand the importance of optimizing your productivity to deliver exceptional results.

Drawing from my extensive experience as a high-performance coach, innovation leader, and program manager, I’ve curated a powerful system that will revolutionize how you approach your day.

Get ready to harness the principles of agility to supercharge your productivity, achieve your goals, and make a lasting impact. It’s time to embark on a transformative journey and win your day the Agile Way.

The Problem with the Typical Day

To fully appreciate how life changing this system will be, I want to first paint a vivid picture of the problem:

How many people do you know for real that are driving their day with a vision of how they can win their day?
How many people do you know can fully enjoy their day and be present in the moment?
How many people do you know are spending their best energy on their best results?
How many people do you know that are finding their flow, creating value, and enjoying their daily activities?
How many people you know are no longer the fun-loving people they used to be?
How many people do you know are overwhelmed, stressed out, and burned out?
How many people do you know are running around with no time, no energy, no focus, no motivation and just trying to make it through their day?

Too many.

These are serious and significant problems. These are people we are talking about. You can’t just reboot a human, swap out a server, or install an update.

You need a better way to drive your day. You drive your day or your day drives you.

Proven Practices for Better Productivity

Break free from the patterns holding you back. Gain clarity amidst chaos. Start each day with a fresh perspective and ignite your energy through a powerful vision.

Discover the practices that elite athletes, visionary leaders, artists, and everyday individuals use to achieve extraordinary results in work and life.

Master the mindset, skillset, and toolset of optimal productivity, allowing you to operate at levels beyond your imagination.

Begin by redesigning your days to unlock your full productivity potential and pave the way for meaningful and impactful outcomes. It’s time to embrace a new approach and embark on a journey of peak performance.

Start Your Day with 3 Wins for Today

To win your day the Agile Way using Agile Results, start with a simple question:

“What will be your 3 Wins for Today?”

Yes. That’s it. You did it. You’re using Agile Results, congratulations!

This is your chance to envision your day. You could simply picture 3 scenes of victory in your day. That’s what Tony Robbins does. You could picture 3 scenes such as morning, noon, and night.

I recommend when you start this to either write your Wins for Today down on a yellow sticky pad. Even if you throw it away, the act of writing the ideas from your mind down onto paper gives you a strong mental reference for the day.

But I get the practicalities of digital tools. You can write down your 3 Wins for Today in your tool of choice. I like to send myself a simple email with the subject line Today, and then write down my 3 Wins for Today. It’s simple, it’s fast, it’s easy to find.

Why 3 Wins for Today Works

When you ask yourself what will be your 3 Wins for Today, you are accomplishing several things:

You created clarity for your day. By figuring out your 3 Wins for Today, you created a simple vision for your day. You created a simple way to win your day. This is a big deal. When you create compelling outcomes you inspire yourself to action. You make your day meaningful. Your 3 Wins for Today will “pull” you through your day. You have a North Star, while others are busy hacking their way through a barrage of demands.
You prioritized your highest value outcomes. Most people have a laundry lists of tasks. They will finish their day and all they will remember is that they went to a bunch of meetings, did a bunch of stuff, and now they are all worn out. Not you. Even better, by identifying your 3 highest priorities, you now have a way to make trade-offs when more demands come your way. Will you trade up? Will you get randomized? Will you prioritize value over volume?
You created focus. Without your 3 Wins for Today, everything is just a stream of demands for your time, attention, and energy. By carving out 3 Wins for Today, you created a way to focus and to refocus. When distractions come your way, you have a way to get back on track.
You generated energy. Your ability to envision your day is a very human thing. It’s a very empowering thing. It’s one of your greatest abilities as a human. When you create a vivid vision for your day, you inspire yourself. You connect your actions to outcomes that you care about. All of this effort is energizing and revitalizing. By calling out 3 Wins for Today, you added what I call, “The Fun Factor.” This Fun Factor is going to help you get back up when you get knocked down, and enjoy more of your journey, not just the destination.
You created a path for meaningful results. Your 3 Wins for Today become your meaningful achievements.

Example Wins for Today

To make this idea more concrete, here are some examples of wins as thought starters:

Professional Wins:

Completed a high-priority task or project ahead of schedule.
Received positive feedback on a presentation or report.
Secured a new client or made progress in a business negotiation.
Conducted a successful meeting or facilitated a productive brainstorming session.
Acquired a new skill or completed a professional development course.

Personal Wins:

Read a chapter of a book or completed an article in your area of interest.
Engaged in a relaxing hobby or creative activity.
Spent quality time with loved ones or close friends.
Practiced mindfulness or meditation for a set period of time.
Achieved a personal fitness or health goal, such as completing a workout or eating a nutritious meal.

Productivity Wins:

Completed your most important task or priority for the day.
Effectively managed your time and avoided distractions.
Implemented a new productivity tool or technique that improved your workflow.
Organized your workspace or digital files for better efficiency.
Delegated a task or sought assistance to lighten your workload.

Learning Wins:

Explored a new topic of interest or completed a short online course.
Researched and gathered valuable information for a future project or decision.
Listened to an educational podcast or watched an informative video.
Participated in a thought-provoking discussion or attended a virtual conference.
Shared your knowledge or expertise with others through a blog post or social media.

Remember, these specific examples are intended to provide ideas and inspiration for achievable wins in different areas. Tailor them to your specific goals and priorities, and celebrate your progress as you accomplish your 3 Wins for Today.

Change Your State to Change Your Results

When you figure out your 3 Wins for Today, I want you to be in your place of power. I want you to feel strong. I want you to feel inspired. I want you to feel empowered. I want you to feel resourceful.

We’re setting the stage so that you don’t just survive your day, you thrive your day. (Is that meme-able? hmmm…thrive your day the Agile Way)

If you change your state, you will be able to figure out more compelling outcomes for today that will energize you and ignite your motivation from the inside out.

One of the fastest and simplest ways to change your state and shift into a resourceful and empowered mindset while sitting at your desk is through the practice of deep breathing and visualization. Here’s a step-by-step approach:

Sit comfortably in your chair and close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs with air. Feel your abdomen expand as you inhale.
Hold your breath for a moment, and then exhale slowly through your mouth, releasing any tension or stress.
As you continue to breathe deeply and rhythmically, visualize yourself in a state of strength and power.
Picture yourself accomplishing your goals, confidently overcoming challenges, and achieving success.
Engage your senses by imagining the sights, sounds, and feelings associated with this empowered state.
Allow yourself to fully immerse in this visualization, embracing the positive emotions and energy it brings.
Take a few more deep breaths, gradually bringing your awareness back to the present moment.
Open your eyes and carry this empowered state with you as you continue your work.

This simple practice of deep breathing combined with visualization can quickly shift your state of mind, helping you tap into your inner resources and approach your tasks with renewed focus, confidence, and strength. Remember to practice it regularly to reinforce and strengthen this positive state of mind.

Create a Better To-Do List

You don’t have to change how you do your To-Do List. You can use whatever approach you already use.

I just want you to add your 3 Wins for Today to the top of your To-Do List.

I want your 3 Wins for Today to be your beacons throughout the day to guide your actions and decisions so they accrue to meaningful outcomes.

Don’t confuse your 3 Wins for Today as 3 tasks or 3 activities. I’m sure, you have lots of tasks and activities to do today, just like everybody else.

But what you will have, that others don’t, is a simple set of 3 Wins for Today, acting as your North Star for today and elevating your productivity game to a new level.

You now have a simple lens to look at all your tasks and activities through.

You know now the high value outcomes that you want to accomplish are. This puts you in a much better position to drive your day from. You are now driving your day with purpose and intention, or as like to think of it, you are driving from vision and value.

Now that’s productivity on fire.

Timeboxing and Time Blocking

Timeboxing is a technique where you allocate a specific amount of time, or a “box,” to work on a particular task or activity. For example, you might set aside 30 minutes to respond to emails, or dedicate an hour to work on a specific project. Timeboxing helps create focus and structure by defining clear boundaries for your work.

On the other hand, time blocking involves scheduling specific blocks of time on your calendar for different activities or categories of work. For instance, you might designate a block in the morning for deep work, another block for meetings and collaboration in the afternoon, and a final block for personal development or relaxation in the evening. Time blocking allows you to allocate dedicated time for different priorities and ensures that you have a balanced schedule.

To use timeboxing effectively, identify tasks or activities that benefit from a focused, concentrated effort within a defined timeframe. This approach works well for short, discrete tasks or for activities that tend to expand if given too much time. Timeboxing is particularly useful for managing routine or recurring tasks, allowing you to allocate specific time slots to tackle them efficiently.

On the other hand, time blocking is beneficial when you have a variety of tasks and projects that require different levels of attention and energy. By assigning specific blocks of time to specific categories of work, you can maintain a structured and organized schedule, ensuring that each aspect of your work receives dedicated attention. Time blocking helps create a sense of rhythm and balance throughout your day.

Ultimately, both timeboxing and time blocking are effective strategies for designing your day and enhancing productivity. Experiment with both techniques to find what works best for you based on your preferences, the nature of your work, and your personal productivity style.

Turn Your Chores into Chances Using Your Values

To align your daily tasks with your values, start by identifying your core values. Reflect on what truly matters to you in life and work. Once you have a clear understanding of your values, you can infuse them into your daily chores and transform them into meaningful experiences. Here are some examples:

If you value learning: Instead of simply completing a task, view it as an opportunity to expand your knowledge and master your craft. For instance, if you’re doing research, approach it with curiosity and strive to gain new insights or discover innovative ideas that can enhance your expertise.
If you value customer satisfaction: Rather than just fulfilling a customer request, aim to create raving fans. Go the extra mile to exceed their expectations and leave a lasting positive impression. Provide exceptional service, personalize your interactions, and find ways to add value beyond what is expected.
If you value adventure: Take a creative approach to your projects and turn them into exciting adventures. Embrace new challenges, explore unconventional solutions, and step outside your comfort zone. Find ways to infuse excitement, innovation, and a sense of exploration into your work.
If you value collaboration: Look for opportunities to collaborate with others, whether it’s seeking input and ideas from colleagues, partnering on a project, or supporting a teammate. Foster a spirit of teamwork and leverage collective intelligence to achieve better outcomes.
If you value personal growth: Use your daily tasks as stepping stones for personal development. Set specific goals for self-improvement and identify how each task can contribute to your growth. Whether it’s building a new skill, refining your communication abilities, or enhancing your leadership qualities, approach each task as an opportunity for growth.

Remember, the key is to consciously infuse your values into your daily activities and mindset. By doing so, you can create a sense of purpose and fulfillment, and turn mundane tasks into meaningful experiences aligned with what you truly value.

Putting It All Together

To win your day the agile way using Agile Results, start by setting clear outcomes that you want to achieve. Identify your 2 Wins for Today that will make your day a success.

These results should be meaningful and aligned with your goals for the week (the month, the quarter, the year.)

Next, break down your day into time blocks and allocate specific tasks or activities to each block. Be intentional about how you spend your time and prioritize tasks based on their importance and impact.

As you move through your day, regularly review your progress and adjust your plan as needed. Agile Results encourages continuous improvement and adaptability. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to pivot and try a different approach.

Stay focused on your desired outcomes and avoid getting overwhelmed by minor distractions. Practice disciplined execution by completing tasks one by one and avoiding multitasking. This allows you to maintain a sense of flow and productivity.

Throughout the day, practice active reflection. Take moments to pause and assess how you’re spending your time and energy. Are you working on tasks that truly align with your priorities? Are there any adjustments or reallocations you need to make to optimize your day?

Finally, celebrate your wins at the end of the day. Recognize your achievements, big or small, and take pride in your progress. Use this sense of accomplishment to fuel your motivation for the next day.

Remember, Agile Results is not a rigid system but a flexible framework designed to empower you. Adapt it to your unique needs and preferences. Experiment with different techniques and approaches to find what works best for you. By embracing the agile way, you can win your day, achieve your goals, and lead a more fulfilling and productive life.

Stay Agile, My Friend

Embracing the Agile way of winning your day can be a game-changer for your productivity and overall satisfaction. By adopting a mindset of flexibility, focus, and continuous improvement, you can design your days to align with your values, prioritize high-value outcomes, and create meaningful results.

Remember, winning your day is not about striving for perfection or cramming as many tasks as possible into your schedule. It’s about being intentional, making conscious choices, and optimizing your time and energy to achieve what truly matters to you.

By practicing timeboxing and time blocking, you gain the power to create structure, stay focused, and make progress on your most important work. Embrace the concept of 3 Wins and celebrate the small victories along the way, as they propel you forward and build momentum.

As you embark on your journey to win your day the Agile way, keep experimenting, learning, and adapting. Every day is an opportunity to refine your approach, discover new strategies, and uncover the unique ways in which you can unlock your productivity potential.

So, seize the day with intention, embrace agility, and create a rhythm that empowers you to live a fulfilling and successful life, one day at a time. You have the tools, the mindset, and the potential to make each day a winning day. Now, go out there and make it happen!

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