Time management and Entrepreneurship

When you take a look at the most successful people on our planet - be it measured through money, achievement, political position, sporting achievement or social respect they all have one thing in common - a passionate drive and belief in what they are trying to achieve. They focus on this almost exclusively and if you happen to want to be involved with them either through being a member of their family or on the periphery of their zone of activity you just have to take pot luck and be grateful for whatever time they can spare you.

Some of them are quite sharp and intelligent but that doesn't seem to be a deciding factor. Not many of them are creative - again it doesn't seem to be a deciding factor.

So what is? Grit and determination, fearlessness and a willingness to take risks? Probably.

Many of them seem to need little sleep. They must all be very good at time management and prioritisation (or have wit enough to employ a PA who is).

Where am I going with this? Well, focusing in on the business successes I was wondering (as you do) how the big achievers approach their day. You see I'm not convinced that many of the big achievers are serial entrepreneurs - it depends on how you define it. The founder of the Carphone Warehouse accumulated a shedload of money by doing one thing and doing it extremely well at the right time in a burgeoning market. Richard Branson apparently operates more like an incubator - people come to him with a bright idea for a business and, if they are passionate and committed, he supports them but makes them drive it - good for him.

I'm the opposite I guess. Being naturally curious I tend to juggle several balls in the air at once. Some mornings I sit in the office at the computer and wonder just where to start. Dozens of things demand my attention - some of which I should be doing, some of which I must be doing and some of which I want to be doing.

Sometimes I wish I was less curious and less creative - I would probably be much richer, but having said that I do massively enjoy doing what I do.

Hey ho, time to book onto another Time Management refresher course. Guilt usually drives me to it and it will last for 3-4 months whilst I make an effort to marshall my business activities and then something really exciting will come along and it will all go out the window again.