Do you ever feel like there is never enough time to do everything and the more you think about it the less gets done? I have often wondered what Lao Tzu means when he writes in the Tao: "Do nothing and everything will get done". Seriously? What does that mean in our endlessly busy and overachieving culture's mindset? Work differently??
- Define "Being"
- Fire Your Backup Plan
- Focus on Your Vision
- Dare to Be You
- Prioritize Your Fires
- Your 3 Most Inspired Actions
- Remember Pareto
- Cut the Crap
1. Define Being: Quite simply, who do you want to be in this endeavor you are undertaking? Stressed out, snippy, hair sticking up, overwhelmed, ineffective... What could be another option? Whatever it is you are doing, becoming clear of how you want to feel and how you want to come across to others is the most important picture to hold in your busy mind.
2. Fire Your Backup Plan: If you have one, it is creating obstacles for you right now. Get your pocket Ganesh out and put him to work immediately. Maybe your backup plan made you sleep better at night, but when the going gets tough, will you be more tempted to jump ship than to see through your brilliant plan? (Just make sure it is brilliant...)
3. Focus on Your Vision: Where do you want to go? Start at the end and look down the path to the beginning. What do you want your milestones to look like? And make sure your vision is BIG!
4. Dare to be You: What do you being to the table that is uniquely You? How are you brilliant? Where is the place that you'll blow anybody else out of the water? Sometimes it's easiest to look at what is hip but is that where you are going to excel the most? Defy mediocrity!!
5. Prioritize Your Fires: What's your most important goal and how can you best advance toward it? Consider if meeting your deadlines only dominates your day.
6. Your 3 Most Inspired Actions: From your long to-do-list, pick the 3 actions that most inspire you to get yourself in motion. Do those things, no matter what.
7. Remember Pareto: The ol' 80-20 rule: 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. What are your 20%?
8. Cut the Crap: Once you have prioritized your list, cut the bottom 20% with the reasonable assumption that those are just keeping you from getting to the important stuff.