Productivity: Lessons From Bruce Lee

By Author: Abe Cherian
Total Articles: 37
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I’m a big fan of Bruce Lee. In fact, I’ve watched almost all of his movies - from “The Big Boss” made in 1971...to “The Game of Death” from 1978.

(All of which were a big influence for taking up Taekwando in my teens...)

So, what does this have to do with you?

I picked Bruce Lee to demonstrate productivity because, in my opinion, he was a true master at it.

One of my favorite quotes from him was:

“Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own.”

Imagine if you applied that to your business. Do you think you would become more productive?

I certainly do!

To make things a little clearer, here are a few things you can do to overcome all of life’s daily distractions. Take these into consideration and note how they can instantly start to impact your productivity.

Setting Specific Goals

There’s a time management theory (Parkinson’s Law), that says:

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

In other words, without a specific deadline (whether it be for ...
... a project or a bigger goal)...we let ourselves remain too relaxed and, ultimately, add more time than is necessary to what it is we’re trying to accomplish.

Self-Exploration

Imitation might be flattering to others, but it’s also a quick way to camouflage your own business. Blending in and acting like everyone else is the complete opposite of why you should bother with marketing, in the first place.

When you make it a point to be yourself, you stand out in your market...

Since most people concern themselves with doing what others do, your individuality also becomes your USP (unique selling proposition).

Positive Self-Discipline

This is the ability to take action, regardless of current emotions.

Imagine if you could train yourself to “leave your emotions at the door” and follow through on what needs to be done, no matter what.

How much more productive would you be?

Mastery mindset, Not Mediocre Mindset

Ever hear of the 10,000 hour rule?

In the book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell says that it takes (roughly) ten thousand hours of practice to completely master a field.

Most people love the idea of mastering something, to leave a legacy behind.
Few, however, really anticipate how much dedication it takes to achieve it.

In any case...

When you dedicate yourself to mastering a subject, you might find that it’s almost instinctive to reject anything that doesn’t contribute toward your end goal.

That’s why one of the first things this article talked about, was the importance of specific goals.

Imagine this:

Let’s say you are required to run the length of an entire football field, in one of two scenarios...

The first, you simply have to run a total of five times until you are finished.

The second scenario,you have to run until somebody blows a whistle for you to stop.

In the first scenario, even if you are tired on the third sprint...you still know that you only have two more times to go and will be able to push yourself much further.

But in the second scenario, if you start to get tired on the third sprint...you may be tempted to just stop, since you might convince yourself that you’ll be running ‘forever’.

In both cases, you’re only required to run 5 times. The problem, is that only one has a specific end.

Here is one final Bruce Lee quote for you:

“If you love life, don’t waste your time, for time is what life is made up of.”

Main Takeaway:

The four points above might not sound like activities that you can do to become productive. However, these ideas are the foundation for the mindset required to be productive in anything you do.

Additional Resources:

Productivity Software: http://www.rescuetime.com

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen:

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317822494&sr=8-1

Abe Cherian is an Internet Entrepreneur since 1999. As the founder of AdClickMedia.com, a pay-per-click advertising network, and the CEO of Multiple Stream Media, an online Advertising and Marketing firm, Abe and his team has helped tens of thousands of online advertisers reach 'the right market' at 'the right time', with the 'right message'. To start advertising and driving traffic click here to open your free account: http://www.rent-a-list.com