5 Steps To Doing Things Right The First Time
I wrote a blog post yesterday about doing things right the first time and so I thought maybe I should write a very prescriptive outline of how to actually do things right the first time.
1. Pick The Right Things
Pick the RIGHT things to do. This means prioritize correctly and choose things that truly matter. If you are having a hard time doing this, make a list of the top 10 things you need to do, and then prioritize them.
Lifehacker posted a really great article about how to prioritize when everything is important. Check it out if you are looking for a good list of ways to prioritize. In other words, prioritization is the first step to doing things right the first time.
2. Take Your Time
It is so easy to rush through your to-do list or the activities that you have prioritized. Instead of rushing, take a huge deep breath and slow down.
Sometimes, after drinking a nice cup of coffee, it might be really hard to slow down to do things right. But you will be surprised how a little extra thought goes a long way.
So how do you do this? Next time you have a task, once you have completed the task, take some extra time to completely review your work and go over it with a fine tooth comb. Even if it is something you do every day or that you are an expert in, review anyways.
The extra time that you spend reviewing your work will help you increase the quality. It’s kind of like reading a text message for a second time before you send it. You usually end up finding something you can edit before sending it off!
3. Do Your Research
I cannot tell you the importance of research in order for doing things right the first time. Research has so many forms.
- Hit up Google, Bing, and Yahoo and search for 3-4 keywords related to your topic.
- Talk to your family, coworkers, and people on social media. Everyone has an opinion.
- Read journal publications and articles from credible sources such as Harvard University.
For example, if you want to write a good blog post or set up your blog right the first time, why not do your research. This blogger wrote an awesome post on how to do exactly that so why not take tips from people who post about it which leads me to my next point.
4. Consult With Experts
You may have heard the statement as a kid, “Practice makes perfect.” Well, according to Wisdom Group, it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything.
So if you want to do something really well and you want to do it right, reach out to an expert in whatever you want to get done. For example, if I wanted to become an expert wake boarder, I might reach out to the best wake boarders in the Pacific Northwest that might be able to point me in the right direction.
Finding the right expert could be a whole blog post in itself, but the point is to find someone who has put in the time, research, and practice to be an expert in a specific area. It could be as easy as tweeting to them on Twitter, sending them a package, or reaching to them with a video post. Think of a unique way to capture their attention.
5. Validate Your Work
Consult with people that you are doing things right. For example, if you need to paint an accent wall, why not talk to everyone you know about painting a wall and how to do it right. Then once you’ve actually done the work, have some review your work and critique the work you’ve done.
The best way to do this is to consult with one of the experts you previously consulted with and ask for them to critique your work. I am going to do that with my blog and with the work I do in my every day life.
One entrepreneur once told me, “Find someone who is doing something better than you and copy them.” So if you want to be really good at something, break down how someone else is doing it so you can understand it. Then replicate it.
Most importantly though, make sure you follow up on the feedback and constructive criticism so you can continue doing things right the first time. As you learn this process you will start to figure out how to do quality work.
Stay Open To Everything
Always stay open to everything. Change is hard, but change is good. Fail fast and fail often. The more you make mistakes, the more you can learn and grow for the next opportunity. Keeping your eyes open is so important in doing things right the first time. Focus on open doors and you will find success.
Remember, it’s all a mindset! So what do you think? Am I onto something or is this “complete rubbish” as my Australian friends would say. Leave me a comment below because I want to hear what you think!
