I love a quick win. Who doesn’t? Compared to those tiring, drawn-out, long-term successes, quick wins seem to have everything in their favour. I’m a big fan. In fact, I don’t know why we even have slow wins anymore.
Except I do. Slow wins are usually just the culmination of lots of quick wins. Those minor improvements, made several times each day, soon add up to something bigger. Quick wins eventually fuse into magnificent slow wins. That’s why I love them.
Got time for a quick win right now? Of course you do.
Here’s how to get one:
1) Look for the OBVIOUS. Sit in your workplace and just look. What catches your eye that you could improve? Is it the pile of unread papers on your desk, the insanity of those back-to-back meetings filling your diary, or the mayhem of icons cluttering your laptop screen?
2) Spot one thing that is OBVIOUSLY suboptimal in your work. A thing that you once thought should be better. A minor annoyance you have somehow become blind to.
3) When you see that thing that no-one else is seeing, MAKE IT BETTER.
Congratulations, that’s a quick win! Now repeat, forever.
A SIMPLE ROUTINE: A quick win before coffee is a splendid way to begin each day. Start with a quick win. They’re easy, obvious, and everywhere. You just have to see and improve.