Today is a crazy day…
I’ll be out of the office for the next couple days, for a family reunion.
There’s a lot to do to get ready for it.
And it has me thankful for a humble little thing called a to-do list.
The title of this article comes from MFCEO Andy Frisella, and a concept he often shares on his podcast. Here’s a recent episode about it.
He calls it the Power List.
It’s the 5 BIG THINGS he needs to get done for the day.
He learned the concept from his dad.
Make a list of the 3-5 most important things you need to do TODAY to move you closer to your long-term goals and vision.
Then, do them, one-by-one.
His dad had a saying for it.
“Make the list, do the list, win the day.”
I have it written on my whiteboard next to my desk.
The days I obey, are big winners.
The days I don’t, are big losers.
Long-term achievement comes down to short-term progress. Short-term progress comes down to simply identifying the next actions you need to take, and doing them.
Today, to be personally and professionally ready to be gone for a few days, I actually have about two dozen items I’m working to get done. (Or that I’m ultimately responsible for seeing through, such as making sure the kids have their chores done and are ready.)
I’m well into the list.
Completing the items that need to get done will take most of the day.
These aren’t necessarily the important things, but they need to be done nonetheless.
The trick is to make the list, and do it…
It really is as simple as that.
Make yourself sit down and make a list. Then make yourself do what you need to do to knock the items off.
It’s useful for packing and getting ready for a trip.
It’s useful for getting things done on small projects at work.
And done consistently through time, it can help you realize your biggest goals, dreams, and aspirations.
But you need to do it.
(Oh yeah, and if you’re thinking, “I’m too creative to be bogged down by a list!” … Think again. Put your creative activities on the list, too, to make sure you make the time and space you need for them. And if you are effective at using the list to get other responsibilities done, you may even find you have more time, energy, and resources for that creative time in the end.)
Also: Breakthrough Marketing Secrets will be back on Monday, 7/29…
I won’t be publishing while I’m out of office, so you won’t hear from me Thursday or Friday. Monday, we’ll be back with your regularly-scheduled issues of Breakthrough Marketing Secrets.
Yours for bigger breakthroughs,
Roy Furr
