Three questions that could determine your productivity today:

• Can you fit me in?
• Can you fit in another meeting?
• Can you fit this into your to-do list today?

There's a lot of fitting in going on in organizational behavior today and that's not a good thing.

Somehow we've been taught along the way that "if I can fit it in, I SHOULD fit it in."  Life seems cluttered with "shoulds."

Highly effective leaders say "no" with much more veracity than average leaders. We learn much more about a leader's potential based on what he won't do.

Effective leaders make room to make a difference. Today's leader doesn't fill up a to-do list with more than one thing that must be done today, no matter what. I remember a time I routinely had 25-30 killer to-do "demandments."

Yes, I have a list of everything that must be done someday. But I will choose what day to do a thing based upon priorities. Obviously, I get much more done than one thing every day.  

Daily routine takes care of many things some leaders would place on a list. I have a calendar and a good feel for what needs to happen on what days. And I have my all-important ONE THING.

Intentionally completing one thing every day is much better that rewriting a full to-do list tomorrow. The good thing about a someday list is that I can choose to complete that list on the right days. I'm not obligating myself to fit in everything today. I have an ironclad contract to complete one thing. All the rest will wait.

I miss terrific opportunities, I'm sure. I miss a few people along the way. I will miss a few meetings that occur just fine without me. I miss a few texts, phone calls, and Facebook messages.

By saying "no" more often, I open up more time margin for divine appointments and unexpected crises. I have more time to do important things and try not to be consumed with the urgent.

The most powerful weapon we have against fitting in is the right and obligation to say no. The courage to say no opens the door to say yes to the things God will send to us.

Jesus told us to come out from among them—to be separate.

Jesus doesn't ask us to fit in.

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Today's Scripture

"Brothers, I do not count myself to have attained, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14).

Platform Tip No. 68

Your platform is not about you. It can never be about you. The only thing that matters on-platform is the people you are called to help.

People don't care what platform you use. They really don't care about you or your message. What people care about is themselves and the change they need or want to make.

Will you help them?

Do you want to learn more about developing your personal platform?

Send for my free series of lessons titled, "The Fundamentals of Creating, Curating and Developing Content for Multiple Platforms." Send your request to: [email protected].

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Dr. Steve Greene is the publisher and executive vice president of the media group at Charisma Media and executive producer of the Charisma Podcast Network. His book, Love Leads: The Spiritual Connection Between Your Relationships and Productivity, is now available.

Leaders, Dr. Greene wants to help you understand the spiritual connection between relationships and productivity. Read his new blog, here.

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