The Sacred Todo List
November 10, 2006 · Print This Article
Everyone is familiar with a todo list, but most people don’t really understand the importance of having a list of the things you want to accomplish. Creating a todo list is creating a list of goals. The list tells you what you need to do to achieve some larger outcome in your life. The power isn’t so much in the list itself, but in the overall goal it helps you to achieve.
A list is a way to break down your life goals into easy manageable steps that you can complete in a specific amount of time. In this sense, your list becomes a guide showing you how to succeed in life.
The way most people start off creating todo lists, isn’t particularly effective. It is easy to end up with many items that aren’t important, that you don’t want to do, and that don’t contribute to your overall goals.
Developing a talent in creating your lists is very beneficial First, you need to see your list as a sacred place. It is there to help you achieve your life goals. It represents items on which you plan to
spend part of your valuable and limited time. This doesn’t mean you can’t put smaller items on the list–like getting groceries. It does mean that you need to make sure you only use your list for things that are actually valuable to you.
Hi Mark
Thank you for this nice post concerning to do’s. I’d love to share with you my version of to do’s. There was a time in my life that I was making a list every evening before going to bed. On that list was: Pick up suit at dry cleaner, Pick up one quart of soya milk etc. Then, I read two books: The first one: The Third Wave, (Toefler, Alvin, 1980) explained that we are in the midst of a change. The second book, The 7 Habits explained that we must start with the end in mind. In order to reach a certain amount of success we must imprint some direction to our lives; picking up the suit at the cleaner is hardly that. Second wave: To do lists,, looking backward. Third wave: Identity,Directions, values and looking forward. Now, I do one list per week, leaving the dry cleaner out. My list is made of direction rather than tightly framed issues. I feel better with myself and.. I rarely forget to pick up the soya milk!!
Claude