High achievers are intensely results oriented.

The world is filled with non-achievers who believe that intentions are more important than results.

For knuckleheads, effort is the same as accomplishment. Knuckleheads put in countless hours on the job, struggling to keep up with their hectic schedules, and speaking in breathless frustration about how unappreciated their efforts seem to be.

However, if you ask them to name one significant goal they have achieved in the last day, week or even month, many would be hard-pressed to come up with anything of significance.

Knuckleheads speak about how hard they work and offer countless examples of their own good intentions, but when measuring results, most of these people have nothing to show for their efforts. Even worse, they don’t really understand why results even matter.

The fact is high achievers are intensely results oriented!

A feeing of accomplishment precedes a completed item.

Compartmentalization is a critical step to achieving goals and getting the results you want.

After you establish your goals and priorities for a day, hour, or a particular meeting or project you must compartmentalize.

Compartmentalization means focusing on each individual item without letting any one activity encroach upon the timing and effectiveness of any other.

It’s easier said than done, however if you want to achieve your goals in the fastest manner possible you must take the following steps to maximize your ability to compartmentalize:

• WRITE down every action you plan to take.

Underperformers keep their goals in their head while high achievers put their plans to paper in an organized manner. After you’ve committed your priorities to paper, you gain clarity and control which allows you to free your mind of worry and anticipation.

• CROSS items off your list.

A feeing of accomplishment precedes a completed item. Every action moves you one step closer to your desired goal and ideal outcome.

• CONCENTRATE on the present.

Focus on the here and now, you cannot change the past nor can you control the future.

If you find that you are having trouble compartmentalizing your time and activities, look at your list and remind yourself of what’s most important – your current focus. Like a rubber band, this will snap you back to the matter at hand.