Personal Success| Creating Thumb Rules for Yourself

photo by: ang (3 Girls)

A rule of thumb is a principle with broad application that is not intended to be strictly accurate or reliable for every situation. It is an easily learned and easily applied procedure for approximately calculating or recalling some value, or for making some determination. from wikipedia

The most successful people create simple rules for themselves to help them make decisions. these rules could be based on personal expereinces, industries they operate in, or simply on knowledge gleamed from elders and other successful people.

Some examples of popular 'Rule of Thumb' rules:
1. For Hotels | Room Rate should be INR 1 for every INR 1000 spent on the room.

2. Pareto principle | The 80/20 Rule means that in anything a few (20 percent) are vital and many(80 percent) are trivial

3. DOING SOMETHING FOR MONEY| If someone says, "It's not the money, it's the principle," it's the money.

4. Employee Suggestion Boxes | Use of an employee suggestion box will drop off greatly two weeks after implementation, unless people get paid for suggestions that are implemented.

There are plenty more. see SITE| Rules of Thumb.org

Where am I going with this?

I am asking you to make some personal Thumb Rules for yourself.

Some rules that work for you, that enhance your decision making skills, that make it easier for people around you and with you to work with/for you.
Rules that are so simple yet profound, people consider it sacrilege to break them.

I really like one. It is in Hindi 'Pehle Pet Puja, Phir Kam Duja' meaning 'first we eat, then we do anything else'

I personally dont like people telling me exactly what to do. I learn better when I am given a general idea and I then do stuff on my own. towards that let me share some of my thumb rules and you can see if something similar might assist you.

My thumb Rules:

As a Writer | Write 500 words everyday.

As a Teacher/Speaker/Trainer | Tell them what I will tell them, Tell them, Tell them what I told them.
see The Magical 3 Step Telling Process!

For Success @ corporate (when I used to work!)
Rule 1| Learn your boss’ job
Rule 2| Teach your job to your sub-ordinate
see The only 2 Rules you will ever need to succeed!

Getting Things Done| Start. Start. Start
see 3 Rules to Getting Things Done

Formals | If it isnt Black, Blue or Grey, I will not wear it to work today!

Investments | If the annual return is not more than 20%, give it to a professional to manage. They can perform as bad!

Self |
> Enjoy your siesta!
> If it isn't fun, either don't do it or make it fun!
> Read something everyday!

Traffic Lights| If there is more than 30 secs remaining of the red light, switch off engine.

Those are the ones among many more that I use on a daily basis.

Frame some for yourself today.
-Make them simple.
-Use them.
-Then freeze them till then become redundant.
-Share them with people around you.

You wont see anybody on my team scheduling important discussions with me in the early afternoon period. Its my Siesta!

oh, before I sign off, my fav thumb rules?

"A rotten egg will float" & "A boiled egg will spin"

Try It!

myeclatcoach