There are certain Lists which will help each of us get exactly what we desire out of Life in the least amount of time.
- Gratitude List
- Accomplishment List
- To Do List
- What I’m Learning List
- Goals List
- Ways to Improve List
Gratitude List: This is a definite Attitude Changing List that everyone should have. When it seems that Life has you down and is kicking you repeatedly, simply get out your Gratitude List and start to appreciate all of the wonderful things that you have to be thankful for. It is a great way to offset and/or replace all of the Negative thoughts that have been occupying your mind.
Start your Gratitude List by writing down each and everything you have been given and that you should be appreciative off.
You might include your relationship with a Higher Power, and your Health, Spouse, Children, Grandchildren, Residence, Vehicle(s), Job / Career, Income, Portfolio, Wardrobe, Appearance, Friends or Associates, Talents and/or Abilities in specific areas, Hobbies, Interests,
The Volunteer work, Sunrises / the Sunsets,
Certain Rain / Rainbows, Flowers or Birds or Animals,
Things you’ve Acquired, Places you been able to visit or even Live….
I urge you to start each item on your List with the words;“I am thankful for . ”
As with most Lists, it doesn’t need to be set in concrete. Continually add new things as you think of them. In fact I’ll go so far as to suggest if you can’t add at least one new Experience or Person or Gift to your Gratitude List each and every week, you might be experiencing the Richness of Life that you deserve.
Accomplishment List: This is another great list to have which will offset a different set of Negatives. Every so often we start to doubt our progress. We wonder if our efforts are really paying off. We concern ourselves with worry about not accomplishment as much as we want as fast as we want it. Needless to say it helps to remember that our Higher Power provides to us on His timetable and not ours, however it can also help to have an Accomplishment List.
This is a List of everything and every Goal you’ve accomplished, the Date you achieved it and how it Felt. If you’re just now starting this List, sit down and remember and recall everything you’ve accomplished over the last 5, 10 or 20 years to make up your List.
Then in the future, add to your List every single time you achieve another Goal, Victory and/or plus the Date you made it happen and most importantly, how It Felt.
If at any time in the future you start to doubt your progress, simply look over your Accomplishment List to appreciate how far you’ve come and all that you have accomplished.
To Do List: Any great Entrepreneur will gladly share with you that one of the most important List they have is their To Do List.
This would include everything you should be doing each day and should go at least one Month into the Future. In fact you might want to use a Legal Pad instead of a standard Day Planner. Each page would have the Day and Date written on the top except for the weekend where you might want to have both Saturday and Sunday on the same page.
Here’s a critical point that is not included in most other publications. Always assign an “A” or “B” or “C” priority to each item, unless it’s a firm Appointment which you know you’re going to keep.
Needless to say, anything that needs to be done immediately or in the near future would have an “A” next to it. Some things that would be nice to do if you have the extra time would be classified as a “B”. The rest are items that you’ll do someday in the future and of course they would have a “C” classification.
As you go through each day and each week, certain “B” priorities will need to be changed to an “A” and some “C” items will become a “B” because of time limitations.
Now here’s the most important thing you’ll ever learn about achieving More in Less time. Always start with the things you don’t like or even those things which you despise . . .
First: Instead of confusing Activity with Accomplishment and getting a few “B” or “C” items done, you’ll be way ahead of the pack if you concentrate on the “A” items first and never move to a “B” or “C” until and unless all of the “A” items have been completed on your List for that particular day.
What I’;m Learning List: There’s an old saying: “When you’re Green you Grow and when you’re Ripe you Rot” which is so true.
It’s amazing how many people are still using the same skills and even choices of words that they learned 5, or 10 or 20 years ago. They certainly don’t have 5, or 10 or 20 years experience. They have one year’s experience repeated many, many years in a row.
I challenge you to start a Legal Pad where you write down a column on the left from top to bottom of Days and Dates and then next to each Day, write down a specific Skill, Technique, Idea or choice of Words that you’ve purposely added to your arsenal on that Day and Date.
Goals List: Of course it’s critical to have short term, mid term and long range Goals. You know the drill by now; if you don’t know where you’re going you’ll probably end up someplace else, or if you fail to plan you’re planning on failing.
AIM – Be specific on exactly what you want and describe it in great detail. CLAIM – Instead of using “I will” or “I am going to” always put your Goal Statement in the “now” by saying; “I AM OWNING . . .” or “I AM EARNING . . “
Make sure and have a definite Due Date, such as; “ON OR BEFORE (date)”. Proclaim: – Write your Goals on many 3 x 5 Cards and place them in your Sock Drawer, your Car Visor, your Billfold or Purse, your Refrigerator, your Coffee Pot, your Dresser, your Night Stand, etc. and read them out loud every time you see them.
You will OBTAIN – Always remember that the real value of Goal Setting is the person we become in the process of trying to achieve more out of Life.