In working with many of my clients, I find that they are not struggling or failing in their attempts to live successful, more productive lives because of lack of knowledge.  Many, if not all of them, have all of the knowledge they need to achieve whatever they set their minds to.

The problem is not lack of knowledge — it’s a lack of two other things: organization and discipline.  In this brief article, I’ll deal with organization, and then, in another article, I’ll cover discipline.

What is organization?  Many think that it simply refers to things like having a good filing system, or a neat desk — kind of a place for everything and everything in its place.  Now don’t get me wrong — that’s part of it — but if your definition of organization ends here, you’re only addressing the tip of the iceberg.

I define organization much more broadly.  My definition includes things like:

  • What you are trying to accomplish with your life and business.
  • Your “WHY” — why are you trying to accomplish these things?  What is your burning desire and passion?
  • How are you leveraging your goals and your “WHY” to make sure that you identify and focus on your most important tasks and activities?
  • What system do you have in place to manage and track all of the “stuff” related to accomplishing your goals?
  • How does your system allow you to declutter your mind so that you have the creative energy and processing capability to plan and execute your most important focal activities?

If your definition of “organization” doesn’t include these considerations, then you are missing the boat when it comes to achieving your dreams. Simply put, you must know the WHAT, WHY, HOW, and WHERE of your goals if you want to maximize your accomplishments — and the effectiveness and efficiency with which you reach these accomplishments — and hence make room for achieving more!

Organization is absolutely foundational to success.  And the key to developing an effective organizational system?  Creating a custom system around who you are, how you think and process information, how and where you live your life, and what combination of paper and electronic systems work best for you.

I specialize in helping individuals and organizations develop and implement effective, efficient systems, so feel free to contact me and let me guide you through the process.