Wednesday 17 December 2014

Success Lessons from the Russians...

...how to improve by 1000%...

With just a few days to go before Christmas and the New Year of 2015 - it's a time for celebration, family and relaxation...
It's also a time when we reflect on the year that has been and the one that has yet to come...
It really doesn't matter whether 2014 was a good, bad or indifferent year; it is likely that most of us will be asking ourselves..

How can next year be even better...?

To some this may mean more money, to some it will mean better health,relationships or opportunity; the currency of success is as individual as we are...
So exactly how can we transform our results next year...?
One way is to learn from a Russian Miner called Aleksei Stakhanov...
In 1935, working in the Russian Coal-mines, Aleksei found a way to mine a total of 106 Tons of coal in under 6 hours - almost 14 times his quota...
Then a few weeks later his colleague Nikita Izotov broke this record by mining 607 Tons of coal in a single shift...
Breaking quotas and beating all expectations became a national obsession. The movement was named after it's initiator and its supporters became known as Stakhanovites...
The principles of the movement spread to the Agricultural, Shoe Making and Manufacturing sector - On November 14–17, 1935, the 1st All-Union Stakhanovite Conference took place at the Kremlin which emphasized the role of the Stakhanovite movement in support of the re-construction of the national economy...
It is argued that one of the reasons Russia was able to beat the Germans during WW2 was their ability to produce huge volumes of weapons and armaments at extreme levels of productivity...
As part of the movement, there was a group of "1000%'ers" whose objective was to find a way to improve output per shift by 1000% - in other words, to add a zero...
A medal of Valour was even awarded to the best performers and supporters of theStakhanovite Movement - Soviet Medal for Labour Valour...
The challenge for us is that our Results and levels of Success are a consequence of our expectations - if we only believe that we can improve by 10% next year then that is probably the best we will possibly achieve...
If however we believe that 1000% improvement is possible, and we have evidence that someone has actually achieved it - even if it is in a 1930's Russian Tractor Factory - we shift our paradigm, expectations and actions accordingly...

So how can we make 2015 dramatically better than 2014...?

  1. Change the paradigm - the self limiting beliefs that we have are self fulfilling prophecies of mediocrity...
  2. Set the Goal - write up a goal of 1000% improvement in your currency of success...
  3. Find a Way - look for new methods, knowledge and connections. Work with people that believe in you and your crazy goal...
  4. Find Others - who are going for 1000% and let go of the doubters, the average and the mediocre...
  5. No Excuses - remove the excuses and drama from your life and focus on the Goal. Less excuses = More achievement...
  6. Coach - get a Coach to be your guide, cheerleader and inspiration. To hold you accountable to being the best you can be...
I was once asked...

"what is the best way to achieve a goal..?"

I replied...

"set the goal really low so your success is guaranteed...."

This is how plenty of people set their Goals - for 2015 don't copy them...
The best way to achieve something significant is to simply add a Zero to your Personal Best, then find a way...

Have a great Christmas and a Prosperous, Healthy and Happy New Year...

David Holland MBA is the Founder and CEO of Results Rules OK, a Business Coaching, Training and Publications Company with offices in France, Luxembourg and the UK...
To find out more about working with David as you Business Coach, Executive Coach or Team Trainer - just drop him a note todavidholland@resultsrulesok.com for an introductory and complimentary discussion that just could change your life, your business and your results...
If you'd like to come to one of our Events to meet David, the Team and some of his Clients, then check out the website HERE - we look forward to seeing you and hearing from you...

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