Let’s talk about those lists you’re making…
Lists of tasks…
Lists of errands…
Lists of things to remember…
List of whatever…
A few years ago I started organizing my tasks and goals by making lists in my CRM software. I famously (or infamously to my Mastermind group and to my coach) ended up with a list of over 100 tasks that never seemed to get smaller.
You see, I could work through 5, maybe even 10 tasks a day, but the to-do’s never ceased. I found myself adding new tasks at the same time I finished others. As diligently as I worked, I was still always left with a ton of “important” projects that never got any traction or attention.
There were tasks that would remain on the list for years…
At the same time, I was collecting notes. Notes from my coach or from courses I’d taken: action items, insights, deep wisdom, you name it, it was stuck in that stack of papers. Anything that “could be important” got added to that stack and I was fully committed to “going through that one of these days.”
It took me some time to realize that this wasn't actually working. In an effort to turn a difficult moment into an opportunity for growth, I decided to take a Big Leap and burn my stack of notes in the fireplace! This also meant deleting all those tasks from my task list.
Damn, did that feel good.
It was my friend Oliver who helped me realize that if something is truly important, you’re not going to forget about it, so there’s no need to create these lengthy ongoing lists of things.
Oliver helped me to see that starting with a new list every day gives you a new kind of freedom.
That doesn’t mean that every item on the daily list is something new, it just means starting fresh every day. And this approach will, in a very natural way, drop things that aren’t necessary or important.
You see, what’s truly important can vary from day to day and week to week, so inflexible lists only hold us back from discovering what is meant to be expressed now.
That eight-month-old task that still hasn’t been started? Either start it or drop it.
That deep insight from 6 months ago– that was for 6 months ago. Not for today. Not for tomorrow.
Let it go. If it is a truly deep insight, it’s either already in you or it will come up again.
If that means deleting that long list of old to-dos or burning that stack of notes - have at it!
And while I’m at it…here’s a practice to help get you started.
Try This Weekly Completion Exercise
Completion is an act of declaration in the moment versus having everything completely handled forever. It is easier to keep going from step to step, task to task, and project to project than it is to stop and take stock. Pursuing some fantasy of perfection or trying to do ‘one more thing’ leads to skipping completion and jumping right into what is next. Again.
Not being complete leaks energy, creates stress, and leaves you tired. It contributes to feeling overwhelmed and creates a lack of confidence and motivation.
We avoid completion to avoid self-assessment and, strangely, self-satisfaction.
The power of completion is a chance to reconcile with how far you’ve come, how much you have accomplished, and what you want to recommit to achieving.
Weekly completion can be done by answering these questions at the end of your week (e.g., Friday afternoon). This process helps to close out your week in a very powerful way and sets you up for success in the coming week.
This leaves you energized, clear, appreciated, motivated, confident, and complete!
The Questions:
What Happened?
List the major events of the week. Everything that’s happened and everything you’ve accomplished or worked on. It is often a surprise to see how much we’ve actually done.
What Were the Biggest Wins for the Week?
Of all those happenings, which ones represent the biggest wins or accomplishments for the week? Acknowledge yourself for what you accomplished.
What Were the Challenges You Encountered?
What personal, emotional, physical, or business challenges did you encounter? Where did you get stuck that could use a breakthrough? Is there anything you’d like to do in the next week to address that challenge?
What are Your Intentions for the Coming Week?
This is a declaration of your intentions for who you want to be in the coming week. It is not a to-do list. E.g.:
“I am being effective and efficient with my time.”
“I am expressing my love daily to my partner.”
“I am committed to maintaining my physical health.”
Knowing what you know now, it’s time to…
Burn those lists.
Stop letting tasks roll over into the next day, week, or month as they continue to go ignored.
There’s no freedom there. Those rigid lists represent your needs of the past, not the action needed today.
Every day is an opportunity to reinvent ourselves and create something new that’s never been seen or thought of before. Those lists are just one way that we lock ourselves into old, rigid paradigms that are linked with our outdated ways of being.
Life requires constant renewal, constant learning, and regularly stepping out of our comfort zone to discover new possibilities.
Let go of the past. Let go of all the lists. Burn that stack of notes you’re “going to get to one day”.
Start each day fresh, and end each week with a serious acknowledgment of all of your successes– both large and small. This is how you are going to cultivate more progress AND more motivation in your life.
Through introducing these concepts to my clients, I’ve seen the monumental change they create in one’s ability to stay focused and inspired. If you’re looking to incorporate something like this into your life, do not hesitate to get on a call with me and we can further discuss how these techniques will work for you.
Until then, burn your lists! And enjoy the feeling of starting fresh each day… I know I do.
Vision 2023 - Creating Lasting Change
If you would like to learn more about how to create lasting change in your life, please join me for one of my Vision 2023 workshops:
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