You’re BUSY, Not Productive. That’s Why You’re Stuck

You’re probably NOT STUCK!
You’re solving the WRONG PROBLEMS ⬇️

What do I mean?

Most businesses fail to grow because they don’t FOCUS.

Oh NO! Another post on “tHe PoWeR of FoCuS”

Keep reading 😉👇

Most people (and businesses) THINK they’re focused.
But being focused isn’t about having ONE VISION.

It’s about working on the right things.
Most are juggling too many things at once.

The RESULT?

An impressive graveyard of “half-built bridges” and unfinished projects.

Now, what’s the REAL PROBLEM?

Why do we get stuck solving B+ problems?

→ They’re easy.
→ They’re fast.
→ They allow to say “we’re sooo busy!”
→ Instant gratification.

But the A+ problems…
The ones that unlock REAL growth.

They’re complex. They’re uncomfortable.
They’re deeply rooted in the UNKNOWN.

So, What’s the Fix?

Commitment. But…

It’s easy to SAY you are committed.
It’s a whole other thing to SHOW you are.

👉 HERE’S THE PLAYBOOK TO *ACT* COMMITTED:

1️⃣ Prune the Tree

Growth happens when you focus on what matters most.

Captain obvious? Maybe.
But seriously, ARE YOU doing that?

→ Cut off the small, unimportant branches.
→ Channel energy into the trunk—the one path that drives growth.

Ask yourself:
What’s the ONE thing that makes everything else irrelevant?

2️⃣ Let Fires Burn

Not every problem needs to be fixed *right now.*

→ Find your biggest constraint.
→ Ignore everything else.

It’s okay if smaller fires burn for a while.
Focus on the one that could burn down the whole house.

3️⃣ Shorten Feedback Loops

When it’s urgent, ACT urgent.

→ Daily (or even 2x a day) check-ins.
→ Mini-deadlines to keep momentum high.

Regular updates show your team—and YOU—that THIS matters.

4️⃣ Make Progress Visible

Visibility (and celebration) drives motivation.

→ SHOW progress with dashboards or milestones.
→ Reward your team when they hit key goals—dinner, day off, or even just recognition.

When progress is clear, commitment grows.

5️⃣ Eliminate Alternatives

Commitment = no Plan B.

→ Stop doing anything that doesn’t push you toward the goal.
→ Communicate this clearly: “THIS is the priority. Everything else can wait.”

Give people PERMISSION to focus.

6️⃣ Reassess & Repeat

Once you solve the A+ problem, reassess.

Why? Solving one major issue often solves many others.

→ New priorities will emerge.
→ Yesterday’s problems may no longer matter.

Growth is iterative.

Commitment is NOT EASY.
But it’s the key to moving from “busy” to “productive.”

Half-built bridges don’t deliver results—focus does.

Don’t buy into the illusion that you’re busy getting things done.
99% of businesses are stuck in this pattern.

So… What’s your “tree trunk”?
What fires do you need to let burn?

To your success,

Gaetan Portaels

Original publication date — November, 2024 (HERE)