Why is it that some people never seem to get moving on things, never seem to make the kind of progress they want, while others make more progress than seems possible?
Today I’m going to tell you a little secret how they do it, and how YOU can do the same thing in 2007, if you put your mind to it and use these two tricks.
I’m pulling into the driveway of my gym at 5:21 am this morning, hoping for a great spin class workout, but wishing I was still in bed underneath the warm covers next to my wife.
But by 6:17 when I’m walking out, as out of breath and fatigued as I’ve ever been, I’m glad it’s over and I’m glad I made the effort to get in there. I’ll be back later on to hit the weights with my son. He’s got another day off before school starts back up, so we’ll be training together later this morning.
Not a bad way to start off the New Year, right?
Now here’s something you’ll probably find hard to believe. It has to do with getting the government to do something that’s almost unheard of, and that is — taking FAST action on something.
22 years ago today, in 1974, amidst a crushing fuel shortage (Remember those long lines at the gas stations?); President Nixon signed a bill requiring the states to lower the maximum speed limit to 55 miles per hour.
The White House said all states now had 60 days to “fix a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour on all highways,” subject to certain exceptions.’”
Any state that didn’t achieve this directive by the 60-day deadline was going to be cut off from ALL federal highway funds – not something easily overlooked or desired.
Oddly enough, all states complied.
And therein lies not one, but TWO lessons about getting stuff done. One, set a deadline. A goal without a deadline is like an “open wish list” — maybe it gets done… but maybe it doesn’t get done. No deadline means no pressure.
And two, give yourself a reward for accomplishing your goal — or, even better — give yourself a penalty if you don’t accomplish it. For instance, I’ve got to complete my Seductive Selling book this month, or ELSE!
If I finish it, the reward is that I’ll be able to use it to generate more leads than I can shake a stick at, in offline space ads and direct mail — and if I don’t finish it, I’ll be screwed because my schedule gets out of hand after this month, for at least the next two, but probably three months.
The pain of NOT getting the book done will be far greater than the pain of getting it done, and the truth is, that is an IDEAL situation if you’re looking to accomplish something.
Motivation comes from penalty as much as (or usually more) than from pleasure. I’ll be talking about this some more on this month’s Seductive Selling Coaching Call as well. (You get to participate on these calls if you own the Seductive Selling System: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive )
As a side note, once the energy crisis was over, the government hung on to the 55 mile an hour speed limit because they felt highway deaths dropped with the lower speed limit. In 1995 though, President Clinton signed a $6 billion road bill that ended the federal 55 mph speed limit and gave power to the states to set their own limits.
Zoom, zoom, zoom.
FREE: Get a handful of VERY special gifts, worth $1,361 Dollars, here: http://kingofcopy.com/ssnl
Now go sell something, Craig Garber
P.S. Listen to my Seductive Selling Radio Show, premiering January 11th on WorldTalkRadio.com
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