Top 5 List of Most Important Actions

I've enjoyed reading and researching into the Law of Attraction and The Secret.  All of the books of that genre get me pumped up to go out and tackle the world.  Identifying my goals and passions, creating meditations and visualizations, ...all of that stuff has helped to generate cool and exciting ideas.  But that is where a lot of how-to Law of Attraction books fall short. 

I'd have a ton of ideas and opportunities, actually too many, and would find myself swamped with things to do.  The anxiety of having too many things going on, plus new ideas streaming in, would give me a creeping sense of dread.  Because not only was I falling behind, I had no time for my new endeavors that I had intended into my experience.  The things that I wanted to do most were now causing me anxiety, because I had identified them and couldn't find the time to do anything about it!

I tried creating an elaborate Excel spreadsheet.  It had a nested hierachial structure of long-term goals, middle-term milestones, and short-term tasks.  A true project manager's dream status sheet come to life.  I was going to make it rich selling this thing!

I started using it and realized one small problem.  Managing my excel sheet sucked!  Not only was it unenjoyable, I actively seeked other activities to avoid having to interact with it.  My excel goal-tracking sheet was a failure.

However, every failure leads to a new opportunity.  At least that is what all of my "Secret" books and gurus tell me.  I began googling different productivity ideas.  I found a very simple one that has worked wonders for me.  I have been using it for 2 months and I've never gotten more done in my life.  I make a list of the 5 most important actions I want to do for the next day before I go to bed.  In the morning I keep it within eyesight.  I try to work on the list exclusively, starting with the first action.  I end up getting the majority of the actions listed done each day, if not all of them.  It's that easy.

I read about the technique randomly on the web.  Charles Schwab the steel baron of the 1920s was visited by a productivity guru.  Schwab told the guru he wanted to get more accomplished with his time.  The guru told him to write down the tasks in order of importance.  Start the day working on the #1 task and stay on it until it is completed.  When it is done, re-assess the rest of the list, then go on to the next item.  The guru (I can't find the guy's name anywhere) then finished his lesson to Schwab by saying to use it for a month and then pay him what it is worth.

Charles Schwab, in the 1920s, sent the guy a check for $25,000.

What have I got done with this method in 2 months?  I built an entire website from the ground up (details in a post next week).  I've upped my blogging and other writing ventures (posting this blog was #1 on my list today).  Most importantly I feel like each day I've managed to do some or most of the things that I most wanted to do.  That gives a lot of personal satisfaction that I didn't call it a night frustrated that yet another day was spent unwisely.

Comments

[Mark Murrell]

where is the link to this golden egg?