My list is long today. Perhaps too long and that is why I have been accomplishing nothing. Not knowing how else to center my thoughts I started writing. Morning pages a la The Artist’s Way. Three pages of nothing. Writing without purpose. Writing just to practice. Writing to try and make sense of the many computer programs open simultaneously in my head.
The first thing I wrote was what would I say to one of my coaching clients? If this was not about me, if I had the luxury of perspective and could pull myself back from where I was, if I could look at my little circle of chaos this morning with a clear and not self involved head, what advice would I give?
Five things. I would tell myself to glance at the big list and then make a small one with five things I wanted to do this morning. They could be prioritized by urgency, obviously anything with a deadline showing up first. But they don’t all have to be the big things. Include some small things too. Maybe a mindless yet necessary task or two that I know can get checked off quickly. Something that will bring me a sense of accomplishment quickly.
I think one of the biggest challenges for any reinventor or entrepreneur is feeling progress is being made. We have our sights set on the big goal and anything less feels like no movement has been made. When in fact that is not true. And how better to feel the sense of movement than by checking off a list that includes all the little steps you are taking?
Five items on a list. A deadline in which to finish them. The day, the morning, whichever feels best. That is what I would tell myself if I were coaching me this morning. The reason? Because the sense of accomplishment breeds the desire to accomplish more. Because when the small list is completed the next question is what’s next?
BTW, I decided to listen to myself today. Number one on my morning list was writing a blog.Check!
What would you say to you today if you were coaching you?
Do you have a list of five?
What’s on your list?
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