Many of us rush through our lives at a frantic pace and, at the end of the day, we lament the fact that we did not do enough. In reality, it is not the fact that we don’t get enough done, but that, instead, we try to do too much.
There is a major difference between being busy all day and actually accomplishing meaningful tasks. In order to determine whether a task is meaningful, one must know what he or she is trying to accomplish. While this seems over-simplistic, it is the failure trap that catches more people than anything else on a day-to-day basis. When we’re not sure where we’re going, any movement seems productive. There’s a huge difference between activity and productivity.
Each morning, you must look at your “to do” list and ask yourself, “Which of these things is really getting me closer to my ultimate objective?” And, as you look at each of the items on your list, it is also good to ask yourself the question—as you contemplate each activity—”What happens if I don’t do this?”
Oftentimes, the act of being busy simply occupies our time, effort, and energy and takes our focus away from where we really should be. Performing with excellence while accomplishing the wrong task can, indeed, be worse than doing nothing at all, because it creates habits and patterns that are very hard to break.
The key to success is learning to say “Yes” to the right things. This becomes easy when you learn how to say “No” to the wrong things.
The wrong things are not necessarily in and of themselves bad things; they are simply not leading to your personal destiny. The wrong thing or activity for you might very well be the right thing for someone else, because their destination lies in a totally different area.
The Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland leaves us with a fabulous message. “If you don’t know where you’re going, it really doesn’t matter which road you take.”
Examine your personal and career goals in light of how you spend your time. Could a total stranger determine your goals by simply watching your daily activities? Make sure that each day is an investment in your future and not simply another rat race experience on the same old treadmill.
Today’s the day!
Source: Wisdom for Winners, Vol 1 by Jim Stovall