I love that you do everything. As someone who wants to do what you’re doing you’re really an inspiration. I can’t wait to explore your website even more!

I’ve been visiting your page regularly for a few months now (one of 3 online stops I make daily). You show character that I can only hope to one day be known for myself. I’m half way through the book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” which touches on a lot of what is being discussed in this blog/comments. If you haven’t had a chance to read this book, it is a must read (you’ll probably read it with a big smile on your face because you’re already living these habits). In short… to be Effective in the things we do, there are no short cuts and no way to dodge the actual “hard work” that precedes success! The keys are vision (doing the right work), management (efficiently getting the right work done), and proactivity (taking control of your life and owning your decisions/consequences).

On a side note, I was working with a client the other day and I heard an interesting line that goes along the lines of taking charge of your life and owning your decisions and consequences. We were sprinting in place pumping 5lb dumbbells overhead and I asked her “why are you moving so slow”. She says “because the dumbbells are too heavy”. The correct response should have been “because i’m not strong enough yet…” but instead it was the dumbbells fault for being too heavy!

Cheers-

You are a very kind person.
This became very rare in the world.
Especially in the world wide web.
I hope will will maintain a long happy and healthy life to can encourage many people over the world to train hard.
Sometimes when i send an email, i was impatient, too.
Sorry for that!

Thanks for all your advices, blog posts, emails etc.

Best wishes

Great post, great books, great guy.

Get some sleep mate!

All the best

Chris

Ross

I think it’s a crying shame that you respond to all those emails and shipping orders. Seriously. It shows a lot of heart, it shows how industrious and productive you are, which are the best character traits, but I think you should save that industriousness to the areas where you are most EFFECTIVE.

Just a guess, from how much you’ve revealed your life to us on your blog: You’re a good father, a good trainer, and a good writer and researcher. In fact, you write the best books on the market for combat athletes. To me, it’s a shame to think that you take time away from any of those things which you are uniquely excellent at, to do something that anybody could do (process orders).

Bill Gates is a really smart and hard working guy. Probably so smart and hard working, that he could do the best janitorial job out of all the janetors at MSN. Does that mean he should do the janitorial work there so he doesn’t compromise quality by hiring someone else who isn’t as good as him? I wouldn’t think so. By hiring a janitor, he is actually able to move time away from sweeping the halls of MSN to a high value activity like making important business and product decisions.

Your value Ross (to me) is your ability to write and provide simple, effective information to athletes without BS. Rarely can anyone else do that. While you might help a few people by answering their emails better than if you hired online customer support, you will help thousands more by devoting your time to what you do best. I also imagine that you will be happier doing those things you are effective at: spending more time being a father, husband, trainer, and writer, rather than answering angry shipping calls.

MAKING time is all about removing the low value activities and replacing them with high value ones. At some point, TV isn’t your low value activity–it might be answering repetitive emails or placing orders that is your most low value activity. To make time means to replace those low output activities with higher value ones.

Hopefully you take my view to heart.

PS: If you want information on hiring virtual assistants, check out the chapter on virtual assistants in the book The Four Hour Work Week.