3 Ways to Cultivate an Enterprising Nature by Jim Rohn

One of the greatest satisfactions of living life to the fullest is doing the best you can with whatever you have. Doing anything less than your best has a way of eroding the psyche. We are creatures of enterprise. Enterprising people are those people disciplined and dedicated enough to seize opportunities that present themselves... regardless of the current situation, struggles or obstacles.

Enterprising people see the future in the present. They will always find a way to take advantage of situations, not be burdened by them. And enterprising people aren't lazy. They don't wait for opportunities to come to them; they go after the opportunities. Enterprising means always finding a way to keep yourself actively working toward your ambition.

We can be particularly creative at working at less than our potential, though.
But by practicing a few simple disciplines every day, you can cultivate an enterprising nature. Here’s how to use your time smartly, to make sure you’re always working toward your ambition:

1. Run the day, or it will run you. Some will be masters of their time, and some will be servants. Enterprising people become the masters.

To master your time, you must have clear written goals for each day that you keep with you at all times. It helps to create each day's list the night before. Prioritize your goals for the day and constantly review them. Enterprising people don't let the minor activities distract them from the major activities—the ones that hold the keys to their success.

2. Don't mistake activity for productivity. You probably know some people who always seem to be busy being busy. To be successful, you must be busy being productive. Some people are going, going, going, but they’re not making much progress. Don't mistake activity for productivity, movement for achievement. Evaluate the hours in your days and see if there is wasted time that you could manage better.

3. Focus. The third key is good concentration. You've got to zero in on the job at hand and, like an ant, let nothing stand in your way and let nothing distract you from the task. Assuming this is a major activity in pursuit of the highest leverage opportunity available, there should be nothing more valuable to invest your time in.

Enterprise is always better than ease. Every time we choose to do less than we possibly can, we limit our possibilities—we stifle our potential. You can alter your life by doing a little more each day to work smarter and by developing a habit of efficiency rather than the habit of activity.

Imagine what you could accomplish if you never quit and always did all that you could do.