CONTEXT

I recently heard this famous story about Warren Buffett giving his private pilot some advice…

Specifically, he shared his 3-part strategy to set goals (and get clarity).

The 25/5 Method. Here we go…

METHOD

Step 1.

Write out the 25 things you want to accomplish this year.

Get specific.

What do you want to achieve by the end of 2023?

Step 2.

Circle the 5 most important things on your list.

(Yep, only 5.)

Step 3.

Are you sure those are your 5 most important…?

Yes? Great.

Now the critical part—

What are you going to do with the other 20 on your list?

When Warren allegedly asked his pilot this, he replied:

“I’ll work on them a little bit here and there, trying to fit them in where I can.”

“No, you can’t do that,” Warren said.

…Why?

Everything you didn’t circle is now your “avoid-at-all-costs” list.

You cannot give any attention to them until you’ve completed your top 5.

WHY IT WORKS

Top performers focus obsessively on very few priorities.

They don’t get distracted by “good” opportunities. They only go for exceptional ones.

The takeaway?

Focus relentlessly (and exclusively) on your 5 top priorities until each of them is fully implemented and yielding results.

Do fewer things, better. Make ‘no’ your default.

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Jade

P.S. Come say hi on Instagram 👋🏼

And welcome to the 1,100+ who joined since last week!

P.P.S. (Jury’s still out on whether this story actually happened. But it is Warren’s credo).

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything." — Warren Buffett