Whatever job you are doing, chances are you could shave off substantial time and get the same result, or use the same amount of time and DOUBLE the result, just by saying, “How can this be done differently to create a better outcome in less time?”
But we rarely do it. We dive right in and flail around, thinking a quick start is the best way to save time. No way.
This is especially important as we mature in our work. In fact, it’s the WAY we mature. Some people never get this, so they don’t improve, and they’re in the same job for 20 years because their performance is always the same. That’s not good.
If they’ve been in the same job for 20 years, their performance should be DRAMATICALLY improved from when they started. They should be able to get all the same results in half the time, or twice the results in the same time—at a minimum.
Otherwise…what were those 20 years really about?
This doesn’t always happen all at once. You don’t ask yourself, “How can I do this twice as fast?” right this second—although you could. But every day we should be asking the question, “How can I do this a little bit better, a little more efficiently?” Over time, those little efficiencies add up to a powerful result.