Creating Your Personal Toolkit: The Key to Sustainable Success in Business

In a world where the habits of successful individuals are glorified and their daily routines are documented in detail, it's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of practices that may not necessarily align with our unique personas or objectives. We have the habit of mirroring the practices of those we admire. However, it's important to understand that what works for one person might not necessarily work for you. In other words, their toolkit might not be your toolkit.

A Successful Toolkit Is Unique to Its Owner

Picture this: you're an ardent fan of a renowned business leader, and you stumble upon an article that gives a detailed breakdown of their day-to-day routine. Motivated, you attempt to mirror this lifestyle, and at first, you begin to see some results. But soon enough, you realize that the routine is not sustainable for you.

This happens because you've been trying to play someone else's game, using tools that aren't calibrated to your unique tendencies. The key takeaway is not that we should copy their toolkit but instead, realize the need to create our own. Successful individuals have a system that works for them, and you need to find a system that works for you.

Building Your Personal Toolkit

Creating your toolkit is not about reinventing the wheel or coming up with something radically different or new. We're all starting with the same base set of options. The magic is in how we modify or combine these tools to create something unique to us.

I have discovered a toolbox that can help any entrepreneur diagnose and solve problems they run into my tool box consists of 12 tools that you can get from my book Rigging the Game but all of them are bucketed into the following categories:

• Frames that allow you to identify the risks of specific things and know when to invest or divest
• Issue processors that help you determine the most efficient path forward at any given moment
• Growth principles that insure you don’t blow yourself up by not being able to see around corners

Archaeological Digs: The Importance of Self-Reflection

One way to identify what works best for you is by conducting an “archaeological dig.” It's a review process where you go back over the decisions that you've made over the past quarter to identify what did not get you closer to your goals and why you made those decisions.

These insights can help refine your decision-making process, identify any biases that may be hindering your progress, and inform the development of your personal toolkit. The goal is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your decision-making, which ultimately drives business growth.

Adopt, Adapt, and Refine

The creation of your toolkit should be an iterative process. Each tool within your kit should be adaptable to your unique situation and disposition. It's important to realize that as you begin to implement these tools, you'll find new ones to add, and perhaps even replace some with new versions of your own.

Remember, a good toolkit isn't static. It's dynamic, adaptable, and constantly improving. The people who seem to win constantly aren't necessarily better than you. Yes, they have identified their biases and play by their own rules, but they are also using a different toolbox than you are.

Conclusion

The journey towards sustainable success in business is not about following someone else's path. It's about understanding your own tendencies, identifying what works best for you, and creating a toolkit that's tailored to your unique needs. With your personalized toolkit in hand, you can set yourself up for a journey towards sustainable success that's defined on your own terms.

Pause and reflect:

• What are some personal habits or routines you've adopted from successful individuals, and how have they worked for you?

• Can you share an instance when you tried to mirror someone else's practices but found it didn't suit your unique tendencies? 

• How have you incorporated self-reflection (such as an "archaeological dig") into your personal or professional life? What insights have you gained from this practice?

• Can you share an example of a tool in your personal toolkit that you've adapted or modified over time? How has this adjustment improved your decision-making or overall productivity?