Triggers – Marshall Goldsmith

I’m a Marshall Goldmsith fan. I loved his book “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There” and have recommended it to many people. This book is useful only if you are focused on wanting to get more out of your life. It’s one of those instances where the student needs to be ready in order for the teacher to appear. Those who read it with no intention of actually changing anything about how they think or structure their days will quite likely miss the point of this book. While Goldsmith is indeed a very successful “Executive Coach” we are all the executives of our own lives. So move past the title to the material.

It’s not that this work is groundbreaking or provides some secret formula, it’s designed to help us organize, prioritize and identify what matters to us. His questions focus on what gives our life meaning and value and how we can structure our days to support those things we have identified as priorities.

It’s simple, but not easy. True of so many things in life. I found it helpful. I’m at a “sorting out” place in my life where I want more structure, more meaning and a better defined purpose. There are lots of moving parts to actually figuring that out.

Here are six questions he suggests we ask ourselves everyday to stay on track in meeting our own self defined priorities:

1. Did I do my best to set clear goals today?
2. Did I do my best to make progress toward my goals today?
3. Did I do my best to find meaning today?
4. Did I do my best to be happy today?
5. Did I do my best to build positive relationships today?
6. Did I do my best to be fully engaged today?

Notice it’s about measuring effort over outcome. It makes sense that consistent effort produces the outcomes we want. We don’t just leapfrog over the process to meeting our goals and arrive at success.

I definitely walked away with ideas for habits and routines I would like to cultivate. To that end, this book was well worth the time invested.