“If you want a job well done, do it yourself”
I lived most of my life with this simple saying. He further said you should have all the skills to be in control. I endeavored to live up to this and excel at what I did. I strove to excel not only in doing everything myself but even in finding my weaknesses and trying to overcome and excel at them.
Just over two years ago I realized I was wrong. Not my Dad, I was wrong. In my interpretation of the words ‘job well done’.
I thought of ‘Job’ as each task, each activity, and each detail. So wrong I was. I have excelled when it came to Strategy and Processes – seeing the big picture and finding solutions that are most apt. My weakness has been details – micro-managing.
I wanted to improve. I Read books, and took coaching classes. Time management and details management.
It hit me when I turned 50. 3 words = 1 simple word. The words ‘job well done’ meant just one word – Goal. My focus was on individual tasks rather than the Goal or big picture.
What did I do about it?
Once I realized this, I decided to take action. I did two simple things:
- I hired a Personal Assistant
- I outsourced simple tasks that I used to do including my own bookkeeping, accounting, etc.
That changed my life in two ways:
- My quality of life improved. I now have more time for myself and I am happy and stress-free.
- My revenue has actually increased by 45% in the last two years. This is something that came as a bonus because I am able to focus on and amplify my strengths. (see my previous blog post on ‘amplification of strengths‘)
If you think letting go and outsourcing tasks is expensive, think again. I am a living example of this false thinking.
