Eammon Percy

“Don’t be fooled by the many books on complexity or by the many complex and arcane algorithms you find in this book or elsewhere. Although there are no textbooks on simplicity, simple systems work and complex don’t.”
Jim Gray

Eamonn Percy
Eamonn Percy

My long-time subscribers and followers know I am a big believer in the power of systems to accelerate the growth of a business. If you would like to know more, read my article in the Globe and Mail from October of last year.

This obsession was formed when I started my career in large corporations, and realized that big companies are created by doing a few things of value, over and over, and very well! The systems are focused on taking the minimal amount of resources (effort, money and time) to focus on creating the maximum amount of value for the customer, at the lowest cost. In order to keep the system humming along, it requires regular review and inspection, to ensure it is shock proof and meets expectations.

This idea of “inspect what you expect” stuck with my entire career and I thought, if it works well in a company of many people, it should work just as well for one person. So I adopted the idea and created a daily, personal performance improvement system, based on simply inspecting what I do each day! I thought I would share this with my subscribers, since it has worked very well for me, and may be something that works for you.

I developed a Creed of 24 Principles that I live by in order to help me move forward and achieve my goals. At the end of each day, I read through the list and put a check mark beside the principles I followed that day, and a black mark beside the ones I failed to follow that day. The idea is to inspect my behavior each day, and then make minor adjustments, so I can course correct rapidly, and fix small problems before they become big ones.

This week, I am sharing with you the 24 Principles. I hope you find it helpful and feel free to connect with me if you have any comments or questions!

Abundance:
I will reset my mind to focus on attracting and keeping abundance
Think Big:
I will expand my thinking to the biggest opportunity.
Action
I will focus on action, action, action – not analysis.
Best Effort
Each day, I will give the best effort to all my tasks.
Law of Attraction
I will use the law of attraction to achieve my goals
Affirmation
Each day I will read my affirmation statement 3 times.
Visualize
I will visualize my future state until it becomes my current state.
Experts
I will only seek guidance from those 10X more successful.
Boldness/Courage
Each day I will do something that I fear.
Master Mind
I will only talk plans with people in harmony with my goals.
Organized
I will make a written schedule of my day, the night before, and stick to it.
Dedicated
I will do at least one task each day that I have been putting off.
Confident
I will feel excellent about myself, capabilities and prospects.

How I live in order to help me move forward and achieve my business goals. At the end of each day, I read through the list and put a check mark beside the principles I followed well that day, and a black mark and note beside the ones I failed to follow that day. The idea is to inspect my behavior each day, and then make minor adjustments, so I can course correct rapidly, and fix small problems before they become big ones.

Confident
I will feel excellent about myself, capabilities and prospects.
Appreciative
I will be generous with praise and compliments.
Optimistic
I won’t dwell on the past but think only positively about today.
Educated
I will read something ever day to improve my mind and skills.
Productive
I will avoid time wasting and non productive people and tasks.
Thrifty
I won’t be a consumer or taxpayer more than absolutely necessary.
Sociable
I will be charming and agreeable, and speak badly of no one.
Alert
I will be attuned to new ideas, people and opportunities.
Creative
I will avoid routine and ruts, and try one new thing daily.
Dependable
I will meet all obligations punctually, honestly & honourably.
First Class
I will strive for the best in all that I do.
Competent
I will focus on what I do well, and outsource everything else.

Eamonn has a B. Eng. (Electrical) from Lakehead University, MBA (Finance) from University of Toronto, and has completed Executive Education at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He lives in Vancouver, Canada. Follow him on twitter @EamonnPercy.