In a previous article we talked about “observation” which is the first element in my “Success Leaves Traces” system. In this article we will talk about the second element which is “Sequencing”.
Stewart Alsop had this to say about Bill Gates:
Stewart Alsop
“Gates is the ultimate programming machine. He believes everything can be defined, examined, reduced to essentials and rearranged into a logical sequence that will achieve a particular goal.”
The Basic Premise Of Sequencing…
The basic premise of sequencing is taking all the pieces and deciding what has to be done and in what order. You must also decide which tasks can be cone simultaneously and/or chronologically.
You decide what comes first; what comes second; what comes third, fourth etc. It must be in a chronological sequence because your mind thinks in a linear pattern.
What I mean by that is your mind naturally thinks in terms of a list. Whether you realize it or not, your mind is making a list of how to achieve the task you have set out for it.
For example, if there was a glass on the table in front of you and you wanted to pick it up and take a sip, your brain tells you to, first move this muscle, then that muscle and then the next etc. By the time you’re finished, your hand grabs the glass, brings it up to your mouth and you take a sip. It’s all done so fast that it seems like one fluid motion to you.
Our brains work by thinking of what comes first. We’re trained to do things in a certain sequence; our brains are hard wired that way. We know if the sequence isn’t correct, it either won’t work or it won’t work as efficiently and effectively as it could.
Driving Your Car
Let’s say, for example, you want to drive somewhere in your car. The sequence would go something like this…
- You go to your car.
- You use the remote to unlock your car.
- You open the car door and sit down.
- You put the key in the ignition.
- You press the brake pedal and start the car.
- You put the car in reverse.
- Etc., etc., etc.
Sure there are tweaks depending on the situation…but it is definitely a sequence.
Now let’s see what happens if we do things out of sequence. Sitting in the car cannot be the first action you take. Why? Because you have to first open the door.
Let’s assume you’re already in the driver’s seat, would your first action be to put the car into reverse? No, because you first need to start the car.
Could you put it into reverse before you pressed the brake? Maybe, it depends on the car, but it would not be the best or safest thing to do because the car would immediately lurch backwards.
What I’m emphasizing is that by following the correct sequence things will work much better.
