When You Have No Other Choice
When you have no other choice, you stop making excuses and start doing the things you know need to be done. When you close off all alternatives, it is much easier to commit and make progress.
Most business people I know love the fact that they are able to get so much work done while travelling on airplanes. At least on most flights, cell and e-mail access isn’t an option, so one is left with the only choices of reading the inflight magazine, reading a book, listening to music or actually getting work done. Goodbye internet, hello productivity.
Can you go internet free one day a week? Can you go e-mail free a couple times a week? Can you resolve not to answer your work calls after 5pm or before 9am? Can you commit to eating a leafy green salad with every meal? Can you not turn on your TV after 9pm? Can you stop reading so many blogs and focus more on writing more of your own 
What can you do to recreate such situations (like the internet free flight!) in your everyday life – so that you don’t have to rely on your own willpower to achieve a positive result? For example, have organic produce delivered to your door every week so you feel compelled to eat healthy food – so it doesn’t spoil. Join a sports team that will make you feel guilty for not getting out and exercising. Do work in a location that doesn’t have internet access. Sell your TV (or loan it to a friend for a while). Disable your Facebook and Twitter accounts…etc.
Get creative and design a lifestyle that makes it easy for you to be more disciplined and smarter about how you live you life and spend your time.
Great stuff man! This reminds me very much of the conversation we had in Seattle last week.
This is how I am at my best as well! I have written 30 pages in a day on a flight to Hawaii, 20 pages on a flight to Florida, and over 15 pages in a single flight many times.
When I need to finish a project by a specific deadline, I remove myself from temptation of internet, phone, etc. I really thrive in that environment when there is “no other option” than to be productive.
I enjoy relying on will power at times because it builds my character and teaches me a lot about myself, but ultimately removing the distractions create an atmosphere that promotes and encourages productivity.
Really good stuff man. You are inspiring a lot of people including a handful of us in Portland who look up to you in major ways.
Cheers to your productivity this weekend and all month long!
Robert
Robert Cheeke
June 6, 2009 at 12:55 am