It is late in the day for me, normally I conceive of and write this blog before my day really starts. However, today was different! Today I decided as part of my 365 list to actually decide to have the courage to put aside the things that I HAD to do, and even the things that I WANTED to do and focus on getting the things done that I needed to do. The things that I know that are most likely to help me achieve great things.
I have one more thing to accomplish today/tonight and I will have made it through the entire list. I will be able to end today and know that I did everything I could to actually accomplish the most important things to drive me toward my ultimate objectives. You see creating a 365 list every morning is not just a task you have to get through everyday – it is a priority, the ultimate ambition, the inspired path you need to take to accomplish your dreams.
Do you view your list each day with this objective in mind? Let me give you some pointers that helped me get there today. Hopefully it will help.
First major consideration – do your 365 list, and pray about it earnestly before you do anything else. Do not even think about looking at that phone. Do not look at your calendar, do not look at your task list, do not look at your email, do not look at the news. Contemplate your goals, your objectives, think about who you can serve and help today and create your list. This is NOT a task list. This is not a reminder that you have to get something done. This is you deciding what is the absolutely most important activities that you need to engage in, before anyone else gets a say. The only two people deciding what you should do today is you and God – if you believe in God. If you don’t, pray anyway. It works and that is all you need to realize.
Second major consideration – I will repeat. This is NOT a task list, or a reminder of what to do. If something is distracting you from your ultimate ambitions and is so important that you need to write it down somewhere – do not use your 365 list for that. Your 365 list is to be cherished, it is sacred ground. Stop polluting it with trivial nonsense of other people’s priorities.
Third major consideration – Putting one thing down, or just a few things down on your 365 list is ok! That is if you actually do it, and it is actually an important and critical milestone in accomplishing your ambitions. Is there one thing that would help you make that big change in your life? Then wake up in the morning and write that down on your list – put a #1 next to it – pray for courage to actually do it and leave all the other stuff behind. Perhaps just do the bare minimum and leave a lot of time for the one. The one thing you have to get done.
Fourth major consideration – At the end of the day, will you be able to say to yourself – “I accomplished what I needed to do today, I got the most important activities done. I am closer to achieving my ambitions. I served and helped others. I can end my day knowing that today was one of the good days – a day that I made real progress.” Take the review at the end of the day serious. Each morning you should plan on having a moment where you can say this to yourself and close the day out with little stress because you know you focused on the most important priorities.
There that is it. I forced myself to consider this today and it was hard, despite all my pressures, despite other people getting in the way, despite some harsh requirements placed upon me by my circumstances. I am now done minus one thing, and guess what I am planning to get done tonight! You got it.
Guy Reams (104)
365 Member
