"I heard about this book through Brian Johnson's Philosopher's Notes. While this felt like a very "male" book (two male authors, lots of sports analogies, lots of examples with male professionals), I found this really useful. Some parts I already knew - they have a great section on communications skills which I recommend - and there were other parts that were twists on/reminders for things I read in other books. I really liked their advice on dealing with the "fight through" stage of maintaining a habit. They recommend focusing on one new tactic for three months before adding another; I've been experimenting with the "Top 3 Things/1 Must" list for a few weeks now and it's been really helpful at a time when there's a lot going on at work.

My notes:

1) Write a list of the three most important things you are going to do tomorrow and the time when you will do them, e.g. Exercise (5.30 am), first draft of presentation (10.00 am), call client (11.30 am). Choose wisely and don't overcommit. (When I have a day with non-stop meetings, I adjust the to reflect the limited time available.) The tasks don't need to be complete projects, just important steps that you want to accomplish tomorrow. Setting the list allows you to push aside all the other items on your To Do list or floating around your brain and focus. Limiting your important things list to three ensures you'll actually get them done despite meetings and urgent and important requests that inevitably crop up. Aim to get them done as early in the day as possible so you have less chance of being derailed by the unexpected. Make one of your items a "1 Must" - that's the one you will do without fail. Getting that one crossed off gets you momentum for the other two. The authors also recommend that at least one of your top 3 items should be something that creates an in-person connection, either by phone or face to face. (I could do better with this.)

2) Make the list at lunchtime the day before. Using the Hooked habit methodology, linking one act to one that you already do (have lunch) means you'll be more likely to adapt the habit and won't forget to make the list. (I've found doing this just before I read my book at night works well.)

3) Maximize the small gaps that crop up during the day. Ask yourself what's the most important thing on your larger To Do list that you can get done in the time available.

4) Run better meetings. Make a point of emphasizing how long the meeting will last and stick to it. Doesn't have to be in 30 minute increments. Can choose 17 minutes, 40 minutes, however you long you actually need. Have a clear agenda. Remember what Coach Wooden considered to be the most important key to developing a disciplined team: start every meeting on time. Respect the people who show up on time for meetings.

5) Habits. "The reality is that our habits aren't so much formed as they are in a constant state of formation." What happens when you move from the honeymoon period of forming a habit to the "fight through" stage? The authors suggest using four techniques: a) "Ritualize" the habit by scheduling it on purpose at the same time every day. b) "Recognize" that you've entered a "fight through" stage and remind yourself that it's important to win and maintain the habit today because that will make it easier the next time. Keep the momentum going and let the momentum keep you going. c) "Ask Two Questions" - think about how you will feel if you win the "fight through" and how you will feel if you lose it. Use the positive and negative emotions you feel around these two questions to keep yourself going. d) "Life Projection" - "think, in great detail, about where you think your life will be in five years if you're able to make this change and consistently win" your "fight throughs." Put as much detail and emotion around this as you can.

6) The importance of recognition. "In Norman Doidge's book, The Brain That Changes Itself, he describes the chemical reactions that take place in the brain when you receive a reward for a solid effort. The brain releases acetylcholine and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that sharpen the mental map for performance and significantly increase motivation."

7) Self- evaluation. The authors suggest creating a daily evaluation ritual ("Success Log") where you focus on a) list of things you did well in the past 24 hours, b) one thing you want to improve in the next 24 hours, and the one thing you can do differently to help make that improvement. Also, on a scale of 1 - 10, how well did you do with your "3 Most Important/1 Must" list? Their point is that what you focus on is what you'll do more of in the future.

8) Presentations/Communications. This is key: "In the business world, a person's skill level is largely realized based on his or her ability to communicate in a confident, efficient manner." And this is so true: "Unfortunately, the more you say, the less believable you often become." Also, the more you say, the harder it is to follow you. People often feel the need to give as much information as possible, when the reality is, people can only take in a small number of points. Don't hide the important information with a laundry list of details. Remember that people have channel capacity. "The best presenters are literally ruthless in organizing what they will say. They identify only the most important information that needs to be communicated, and they get rid of everything else." Focus on the polishing the first five minutes and the closing five minutes. Then add the information in between. And remember to add anecdotes and stories - they are way more memorable. Pacing is key - remember that people are hearing the information for the first time and you need to slow down so they can absorb it rather than rattling through it so nothing sticks. Also, repetition is good when used wisely. It reinforces the key points. Finally, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

8) Focus on what you can control. This is also something Covey talks about in "7 Habits of Highly Successful People." "Anytime you feel frustrated, pull out a piece of paper and create your own "Can and Cannot" control chart. Doing so will help jump-start you into action toward those things you can control in life. When faced with a challenge, focus on finding solutions rather than what has gone wrong or who is to blame. Focus on small, incremental improvements - they add up over time.

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