If you have worked with me or heard me speak, or even just followed some of my posts, you know that I often talk about “moving the needle.”

So what is Moving the Needle?

Quite simply, these are the high-value things that matter. The things that propel our businesses or our careers forward.

Many times they are usually the things we don’t want to do (the tough phone call we need to make, the marketing piece we don’t want to finish, etc.), but they matter. They change the momentum and move you toward a big goal.

In a world of distractions, it is more important than ever to FOCUS on these things – those that Move the Needle.

My simple strategy is to carry a 3×5 note card that I use as my quick list. On the top, I write “MTN” (obviously the acronym for “Move the Needle”), and then I write the 2-3 most important things I can do today to move the needle. If you do those things, you will have a different life.

Amazing simplicity… amazing results if you follow through.

You may also enjoy a related post called Don’t Polish the Brass on the Titanic (about focusing and MTN)