Seven Years On, Reflections on Your Oxygen Mask First: Invest in Your Sweet Spots
“Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses.”
-
-
-
-
- Marilyn Von Savant, highest recorded IQ, Guinness Book of Records
-
-
-
Your sweet spots are where you deliver, by far, the most value.
It’s where vitality, inspiration and oxygen courses through your system, as you spend time and energy doing what you love, the way you love doing it.
To be a high-performing leader and do amazing things in your work and in your life, that means you need to invest 80% of your energy in your sweet spot. Otherwise, you be drained and depleted.
A Challenge and an Opportunity
Invest in your Sweet Spots (Chapter 4, Your Oxygen Mask First), is about the value of giving yourself permission to focus on the things you want to do and are good at.
Watch the Video: Invest in Your Sweet Spots
And to free yourself up to do that, you need to find other people to do the things outside your sweet spot. And this is hard for many people, unless you think of it as giving someone else an opportunity to invest in their sweet spot – to learn and grow, or to do something they are good at.
Only then can you free your time to do those things that help you, your team and your business to thrive.
For example, we have a client who really didn’t like getting involved in legal issues. They frustrated him and, because of that, issues often got worse when he was involved.
But when he found another member of the team who could handle them better, it took a huge load off his plate and, interestingly, issues got resolved notably faster.
Ask Who Not How
It reminds me of a great statement from Jim Collins:
Your first question should always be a ‘who’ question, not a ‘how’ question.
In other words, ask the questions that are always default thinking for great leaders:
Who could make this happen?
Who would love to have the opportunity to be responsible for this challenge?
The Challenge
-
- What percentage of your time do you currently spend in your Sweet Spot?
- What can you do to get to 80%?
Your Oxygen Mask First Resources
Other Blogs
- Do What You Love & Invest in Your Sweet Spots
- Move Forward by Finding the Sweet Spot between Fear and Anticipation
- What Would Happen if You Spent 10% More Time on Growth?
Older Podcasts
Lawrence & Co’s work focuses on sustainable and enhanced growth for you and your business. Our diverse and experienced group of advisors can help your leaders and executive teams stay competitive through the use of various learning tools including workshops, webinars, executive retreats, or one-to-one coaching.
We help high-achieving leaders to have it all – a great business and a rewarding life. Contact us for simple and impactful advice. No BS. No fluff.