The Reason You’re Not Reaching Your Goals: Part one in a series

Ladder on a mountain peak leading to a red flag.

By Howard Partridge

Years ago, while speaking to a group of business owners, I was discussing how many people have ideas but never act on them, and, therefore, their visions never become reality. I heard my friend Kirby Lammers, who sat on the front row mutter “F.T.I.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“Failure to implement,” he explained.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that the number one reason people don’t grow to the next level in their lives, careers, or business is F.T.I.

Most would agree there are things they could do to:

  • Have a more successful business,
  • Be more successful financially,
  • Be healthier,
  • Have stronger relationships,
  • Have more peace of mind,
  • Have more hope for the future,
  • Have less stress.

Most would also agree that many times they simply don’t do those things, and most don’t do things they know they should do—even when they know what to do and how to do it. Of course, these same owners would also like to be more productive, perform at the highest level possible, and reach their biggest dreams and goals in life and business. If you can relate, if you’re not reaching your biggest dreams and goals because of failure to implement, and even if you are reaching big goals, you surely want to perform better!

In this series of articles, I’ll guide you through ten powerful principles that will help you have the business, career, and life you’ve always wanted.

The tools

One of the most important things I have discovered about F.T.I. is that information alone doesn’t create implementation. In addition to information, you need four more things to consistently implement:

  • Inspiration. Would you agree that if you woke up every day excited and inspired, you would implement more? This series will provide you inspiration.
  • Organization. Would you agree that if you were more organized, you would get more of the right things done at the right time? In this series, I’ll share some of the things I’ve learned about staying focused and organized over the past 35 years.
  • Training. Would you agree that, when you are thoroughly trained in something, you move forward with more confidence and control? In this series, I’ll demonstrate how to leverage training for yourself and your team.
  • Community. Would you agree that you would implement more when you surround yourself with the right people who provide the support, encouragement, and accountability to do the things you already know you should do? In this series, I’ll challenge you to connect and share how to build and surround yourself with a support network.

The principles

You can expect to come away from the series (as well as each individual article) with a greater understanding of how to accomplish what you set out to do. Here’s an outline of the 10 principles we will cover:

  • The Potential Principle: Understanding your potential impacts performance. “Who do you think you are?” All humans suffer from a poor self-image to one degree or another. Who you think you are and whose you think you are will determine whether you act on your goals.
  • The Picture Principle: A compelling picture imagines performance. “Where are you going?” Human beings do what human beings see in their minds. This can be positive or negative. If you can’t see yourself doing something, you won’t even try, but when you have a clear picture in your mind and believe it, you will take the steps to get there. You have to first see yourself reaching your goals in your mind.
  • The Purpose Principle: Knowing your purpose inspires performance. “Why do you do what you do?” Man was created for a purpose, but most never find out that purpose. Many live a life that is meaningless, just getting through the stress of the day. Knowing your purpose gives you a new level of energy and passion.
  • The People Principle: The right people influence performance. “Who do you have around you?” The people around you will either keep you from being productive or promote your potential and purpose. Your closest friends, family, and associates heavily influence you, whether you admit it or not. Having the right people around you will help you understand your potential, see a more meaningful picture, and embrace your purpose.
  • The Planning Principle: Proper, focused planning initiates performance. “How will you get there?” You can’t go somewhere you’ve never been on without a map. When you have the right directions, you can get where you are going faster and easier.
  • The Priority Principle: Living by priority ignites performance. “What’s important now?” Life offers many opportunities, both good and bad. That’s why it is so easy to get distracted. Staying focused on what’s truly important every day is key to long-term implementation.
  • The Process Principle: A simple process improves performance. “What systems will you use?” Implementing simple systems into your life and business makes production more predictable and precise, which saves you time, energy, and money.
  • The Productivity Principle: Consistent, persistent productivity ensures outstanding performance. “What action are you taking?” We all know we need to be more productive to reach goals we have not reached before, but the kind of action we take each day is critical. We need to take focused action that will take us closer to the goal every day. How you use your time each day is vital to performance.
  • The Progress Principle: Tracking your progress illuminates performance. “How are you tracking?” Just like tracking your progress on a trip, you need to track your performance, so you’ll know how you are progressing. Are we early? Late? Right on time? Tracking your success reveals your performance, good or bad.
  • The Patience Principle: Exercising great patience increases performance. “What will you give?” Reaching high-level performance doesn’t happen overnight; it happens over time. The Patience Principle helps you live these principles for the long haul. Diligence over time brings huge rewards.

Failure to Implement

Stay tuned for the rest of the articles in this series. In them, we will go deeper into these 10 principles so you can avoid failure to implement and achieve phenomenal performance in every area of life.


Howard Partridge started his cleaning business from the trunk of his car 35 years ago and built it up to over $3 million per year. For two decades, Partridge has coached cleaning and restoration companies, teaching them to have phenomenal success. He is the exclusive small business coach for Ziglar Inc., the world’s first Ziglar Legacy Trainer, the founding member of the John Maxwell Coaching Team, a DISC Certified Trainer, a ONE THING Certified Trainer. a Certified StoryBrand Guide, and No. 1 bestselling author of eight books including his latest: F.T.I. (Failure To Implement).

 

Cleanfax Staff

Cleanfax provides cleaning and restoration professionals with information designed to help them manage and grow their businesses.

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