Back to Lists

At some point, and I don't know exactly when it happened, I stopped making lists. My lists helped keep me on track, not only by reminding me of what I wanted to accomplish in a day (or week or month or year) but also by by giving me a good way to prioritize. And of course there's that great sense of satisfaction that comes with crossing off a finished task. I don't even remember if I tapered off with the lists or suddenly stopped, but I think that reviving my list ritual could go a long way to restoring some order to my life.

This week aside -- because I think anyone would have been derailed for at least a short period of time under such circumstances -- I haven't been "maximizing my potential", as folks say in the coaching world (and elsewhere, I'm sure). At some point I may have mentioned the chart I developed for breaking goals into small action steps. I had a clever name for it, but I haven't used it for so long I've forgotten the name. It isn't exactly a list; it's a bit more elaborate. Still, the basic function is the same and using the chart doesn't preclude the use of other lists. In the past I've used it on the computer, filling in the blanks each day, but there's something so satisfying about checking off items and writing on the page. This time around, I'm going to print it out.

It's kind of late in the day to start up with list-making, but I can start early in the morning. Tonight I will make a list of what lists I will make tomorrow. That's a good start.