Everyone loves the effects – the outcome of success. Everyone loves to be wealthy, healthy, physically fit, be in a wonderful relationship, get the best briefs, clients and so on.  If loving the effect was it, everyone would have all they love. Since everyone doesn’t, it shows that loving the effect is not enough, but also loving the cause of the effect.

The critical difference is not falling in love with the outcome or effect but consistently executing, working on the cause of the effect. When you execute and manage the cause, the effects will take care of itself sooner or later.

Therefore, whatever it is you want, first check to see if the cause is in place to produce the desired effect or outcome. If it is, then it’s just a matter of time and consistent daily execution. Sooner or later, the effects will show up.

The key to success is a consistency of execution or working on the right things at the right time in the right way. Consistently executing the wrong things will not deliver the outcomes you want. And inconsistently executing the right things will also not deliver the desired outcome.

In consistently doing the right work to produce the desired effects, ensure to measure the cause (the level of work) against the expected effect (outcome) to ensure equality.

Measuring and monitoring your critical driver activities (cause) gives you the ability to understand what is happening in your business before seeing the financial statements at the end of the month (the effect). This will help you to make the necessary changes before the end of the month or quarter.

The hard part is figuring out what needs to change, and consistently executing until you get the desired outcome.

If you know what needs to change and what needs to get executed, you will also know what needs to be measured. These are your critical drivers. When you execute the critical drivers, you will close the existing gap between where you are and the outcome that you want.

In summary, find a way to fall in love with the cause (the right works) and the effect or outcome will follow sooner or later as long you are consistently executing or implementing on the cause

[EXCERPTS: The Road Less Stupid. Advice From The Chairman Of The Board by Keith J. Cunningham]