Questions, Not Resolutions
“The depth of your questions determines the height of your solutions” – Thom Quinn This year, focus on better questions. Make QIQO (Quality In, Quality Out) your motto. If you truly want a million dollar answer, I suggest that you ask yourself a million dollar question! Instead of setting a vague resolution, ask ‘how’ you […]
Read MoreNew Year’s Resolutions, Part 2
I advocate Goals, Not Resolutions for the beginning of 2016. However, I do afford exceptions for a few special resolutions. When a reporter asked Mahatma Gandhi what his message was the world, he simply replied “My life is my message.” He also committed himself to the following resolutions: “I will be truthful. I will suffer no injustice. I will […]
Read MoreNew Year’s Resolutions, Part 1
Happy New Year! Are you planning your New Year’s Resolution for 2016? May I suggest something different? New Year’s Resolutions are often extremely difficult promises to keep, even if they are private affairs and known only to oneself. A great example if this found within Samuel Pepys’ famous diary. Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) was a member of […]
Read MoreThe Idea Box
Ideas! Everything initially starts with an idea. To really benefit from your mental fruits, it is vital that you systematically record and archive your thoughts. Of course, one excellent way to do this to utilize a daily journal. I do highly recommend journals as a way to capture your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Another method […]
Read MoreProjects List
What is a project? Some common definitions include any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted or a planned objective requiring concerted effort. These are both true and do capture the essence of ‘projectness’; nevertheless, as a pragmatist, I feel that fellow productivity expert David Allen offers a much more practical definition in his book […]
Read MoreThe Problem With To-Do Lists
Here is the main problem with To-Do Lists: they are a potpourri of goals, projects, and tasks. They can be psychologically counterproductive as many items remain on the list at the end of the day. For example, here is an example of some items on a to-do list: Lunch with Dave Call Susan Review the […]
Read MoreA Stew Folder
I have always called this a Stew Folder; however, I have heard others refer to this same idea as a Slush File or a Temp File. If you already use a Tickler File, this concept can work in parallel with that system. Do to the amount of information everyone receives, it is common for there to […]
Read MoreThe RRAFFT Method
Clutter is the result of incomplete actions. When an item has not been fully processed, it ends up in ‘limbo’ and does not have a final use or a proper home. How can you avoid an ocean of clutter? Use the RRAFFT Method. R: Review R: Read A: Act F: Forward F: File T: Toss […]
Read MoreValues List
Question: Who are you? I do not mean your name. I mean your beliefs. What are the central values in your life? Create a list of top ten values. For example, many people list things such as God, Family, Wealth, Love, Health, Integrity, etc. Then rank this list. A Values List is useful for making decisions. […]
Read MoreHow To Say No
A while back, I suggested that a necessary life mastery technique is to learn to say no. Remember: every task, project, or goal comes with an opportunity cost. This means that to achieve X you have to give up focusing on Y. Requests for assistance occur daily. Get in the habit of turning down requests that […]
Read More