Posted Sept 10, 2023

Dad used to say – “do the hardest thing first!” I hated that idea. Let me enjoy the easy stuff – feel successful! His approach was to push through the hard and everything else will seem easy. Sounds good – I’ll do it the next time.

Life is pulling us so many ways it’s hard to stay focused. Work – kids – chores – meals – marriage.... do I even have time to read this newsletter?

Lets dive in. Make a list of everything that needs done. Put it in a little notebook or on a card you can carry in your pocket. The techies will put it on their phone app (I’m still old school).

Put an asterisk in front of everything that absolutely HAS TO BE DONE – TODAY! Then look for a pattern (like combining related items) and start numbering the order they should be done in.

LEFTOVERS (no asterisk)....
    – should I do this if I have time later?
    – do I really need to do this at all?
    – is this something that can be delegated or done better by someone else?

This list helps keep you focused. It’s easy to just grab the phone and browse, or do some time-killer activity. I went through so many lists when building Discovery Park. If we didn’t finish one project, it went at the top of the next day’s list. Some times I made a list for me and another for my assistant. Some lists stretched on for days. But it kept us focused and moving forward.

The real PROBLEM of procrastination is – do I even have a plan? Do I know where I want to be this week, this month, this year, five years‽ (That symbol is called an interrobang – look it up). Working your family’s plan helps with motivation and direction – a reason to get up and keep moving. You don’t really want to live a wasted life.

Your life is a gift. It is meant to be enjoyed. But a life should also have purpose and meaning. Have I learned to be more loving today? When you see your life having direction, there’s a reason to get up, the procrastination fades away. You look forward to each day. Let’s get to it! Life awaits. Now I can cross this newsletter off my list of things to do today.

P.S. How is the journal coming?

That’s what good play is all about.

No directions, nobody telling you that
“you can’t do it that way”.

It’s pure discovery!