Here’s how to win in life:
1. Set the north star. Be clear. What’s the BHAG (big hairy audacious goal)? Get clear on what success looks like. This now guides every move you make.
2. Identify 2-4 correct levers. Pinpoint the few actions causally tied to achievement of the goal. These are your bets; place them and commit.
3. Pinpoint 2-3 critical micro-tasks. Lay out each sub-step. If executed in tandem, these will unlock the levers which will unlock the BHAG. Break it all down in a flow chart so you can see the full journey mapped back to the goal.
4. Find your point of highest contribution. Figure out how you bring most value. Focus on the high stakes, high leverage work no one else could do as effectively as you. Then maximize your surface area around those tasks.
5. Delegate effectively. Bring in domain experts for the tasks outside your zone of genius. If someone else can do it (a) more efficiently, (b) more effectively, and (c) more cheaply, outsource it.
6. Cross off all else. Be ruthless. Eliminate all distractions and go into tunnel vision. Guard your focus like it’s your oxygen tank. Want it as bad as you want to breathe.
If you apply these steps, it’s very hard to not be successful.