The Brilliance of Simplicity in Recruitment
2026
–A Ten Part Series–
Part Four
by
Bob Marshall
January 27th, 2026
Part Four – Super Six #1 – Establishing Great Habits
Recessions don’t create change — they accelerate it.
Less business travel. More video communication. Fewer face-to-face interactions. Those shifts were already underway long before the economy tightened. And while they matter, they’re not nearly as profound as the changes that happen inside each of us.
Because the biggest changes during and after a recession aren’t external.
They’re habitual.
What I consistently observe after every downturn is this:
Bad habits quietly replace the good habits recruiters worked hard to build.
Momentum slips. Discipline softens. Standards lower — just a little at first.
And my job is simple: help you get your good habits back.
Albert E. N. Gray, author of The Common Denominator of Success, captured this perfectly:
“The secret of success of every individual who has ever been successful lies in the fact that he or she formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do. It’s just as true as it sounds—and just as simple as it seems.”
Gray went on to say:
“Every qualification for success is acquired through habit. People form habits and habits form futures. If you do not deliberately form good habits, you will unconsciously form bad ones. You are the person you are today because of your habits—and the only way to change is through habit.”
That truth hasn’t aged a day.
Establishing Habits with Atomic Fundamentals
A habit is simply an automatic behavior. Your brain loves habits because they conserve energy. Once something becomes habitual, your brain can solve a problem faster, with less effort, and less resistance.
But here’s where most people quit too early.
Good habits must persist long enough to break through what’s known as the Plateau of Latent Potential — the phase where results aren’t visible yet. During this period, the work isn’t wasted. It’s being stored.
This is why focusing on systems instead of goals is critical.
If setting a goal were enough, every Olympian would win a gold medal.
The difference between success and failure isn’t goal-setting — it’s process mastery.
Or said more simply:
Fix the inputs, and the outputs will take care of themselves.
The Bottom Line
If you want to change results, you must change habits — and if you want habits to stick, your brain needs help.
The most effective habits are:
- Obvious
- Attractive
- Easy to start
- Immediately reinforcing
When you design habits this way, consistency becomes natural — not forced.
And consistency, especially in uncertain markets, is what separates big billers from everyone else.
Next week: Part Five – Super Six #2 – Why Marketing is King
Bob Marshall began his recruiting career over 46 years ago at MR in Reno, NV. In 1986 he established The Bob Marshall Group, International, where he has trained recruiters throughout the United States and also in the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus. With a dedication to executive recruiting, he continues to offer his proven training systems to individuals, firms, and private corporations both domestic and in select international territories. To learn more about his activities and descriptions of his products and services, contact him directly @770-898-5550/470-456-0386(cell); bob@themarshallplan.org; or visit his website @ www.TheMarshallPlan.org.
Bob Marshall
President
TBMG, International
247 Bryans Drive, Suite 100
McDonough, GA 30252-2513
770-898-5550
520-842-5550 (fax)