Today's TQ

Daily Lessons in Intentional Excellence
Wednesday, December 31, 2025

If You're In Stop-And-Go Traffic, Is Your Brain Still In Gear?

You spend a large chunk of time commuting. Multiply your weekly figure by 50 weeks. Scary, isn't it? Use that time wisely. Plan for productive activities in transit.

Plan to use tomorrow's commute to plan your day, make calls, record ideas, or listen to educational or motivational podcasts.

Today's TQ Challenge: Seek to Double Results -- Ask "What Else Now?"

Choose to be PRODUCTIVE! How much did you accomplish on your way to work today?
Choose to be EFFICIENT! What other activities could you work on if you used some mode of public transportation, or began an office car pool?
Choose to be PROLIFIC! Can you turn your car into your office? Would a cellular phone help you to be more productive with your commuting time?

You don't have to double your speed to double your productivity. Instead, you can increase your results by combining complimentary tasks, projects or roles. Plan ahead and look for ways to maximize your time. Before you proceed, see if there is anything else you could be doing simultaneously. When you find a way to do two things in the same block of time you achieve twice the results -- with little additional effort.

"Success is not forever and failure isn't fatal." ~ Don Shula

Think about it. How well and how often do you actually DO Optimize Factor 9I?

"I look for ways to double my results by completing two things at the same time."

A high commitment (9I rated 8 or better) suggests you are motivated to discover how you can conveniently complete two things instead of just one. The secret to your productivity is not running around at twice the speed of everyone else. Instead, you actually get more done by slowing down. Before you begin any task, you ask, "What else can I accomplish while I'm doing this?" You read your trade journals while flying on a business trip. You pitch your new proposal to two additional prospects while on the same trip, and finish writing all your thank you letters on your flight home.

On the other hand...

A lack of commitment suggests you haven't yet learned how to maximize your time. You tend to think in terms of "What is the one thing that needs to get done now?" You rarely look for ways to combine activities and projects. For example, it may not occur to you that you could spend more time with your son by volunteering together at your favorite charity -- or that you could find a business client who likes to play chess as often as you do.

What happens when you CHOOSE to do Factor 9I a bit more frequently?

You double your productivity when you find ways to do two things at the same time. You accumulate performance positives like "Prolific, Productive and Efficient" -- immediately moving you towards the results you expect.

What happens when you FAIL to consistently do Factor 9I?

It takes you twice as long to complete the same two activities when you do them one at a time. Negatives like "Myopic, Inefficient and Linear" start to take their toll on your performance -- quickly moving you away from the success you want.

Now Ask Yourself This...
Is Factor 9I Causing You Problems?

If you believe this factor is a key performance obstacle -- and that it's preventing you from realizing your personal dreams and goals -- then you need to improve it.

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