Using data from a survey of 1,000 people enrolled in an online course he taught, Acuff developed a three-step strategy to help people be more productive. Here’s how it works:

The biggest mistake most people make, Acuff says, is setting a goal that’s just unrealistic.

“Cut your goal in half,” Acuff writes.

By this he means, make your goal smaller than what you initially envisioned. For example, instead of aspiring to run a marathon, aim to run a 5K. If you want to start a company, try getting 100 customers to buy your product first.

To test his theory, Acuff surveyed 1,000 people from his course. More than 60 percent of respondents said they achieved more when they made their goal manageable. What’s more, 90 percent said reducing their goal made them feel happier about working toward it, because it seemed doable.

If you can’t realistically cut your goal in half, try giving yourself more time to complete it.

According to Acuff, there are two main options for ambitious people. The first is to
“attempt more than is humanly possible, and fail.”

The second is to cut back on your work in other areas of your life in order focus on your goal. In Acuff’s words, “choose what to bomb.”

For example, if you want to compose music at night but usually fold laundry then, get comfortable with doing a quick, shoddy job that takes you half the time. Or if you go out every weekend with friends when you would otherwise work on your blog, get more comfortable saying that you can’t meet up.

Being strategic with your time and prioritizing your goals can make a big difference.

“You have some things that can wait,” Acuff writes.

Common goals, like exercising daily or waking up earlier, aren’t inherently enjoyable. But if you want to see more success, Acuff writes, you have to create incentives for yourself.

For example, if you’ve woken up early for three out of five days of a workweek, buy yourself
a cup of artisanal coffee to motivate yourself to do the same next week. Have a workout buddy you go on jogs with twice a week to make it more fun, and hold yourself more accountable. Light your favorite candle only when you’re working on your personal project, to create a positive association, as Acuff did.

“Fun not only counts,” he writes, “but it’s necessary if you want to beat perfectionism and get to the finish.”

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