This week a client reminded me of something I had told her
several months back: Life lived to the fullest is always
based on what I call "The Four Lists."
The Four Lists are the guide-posts to success. They are the
foundation for life-long achievement, peace of mind, and
personal satisfaction. It's simple, really. So simple that
we tend to forget them and in our desire for something more
complicated or "modern" (a list on your phone?), we can
miss the oldest trick in the book.
A great life is based on The Four Lists.
List #1: Your Core Values. Knowing what you believe, what
you value, what you stand for, is essential. Your values
and priorities are your compass. They are the touchstone
against which everything else is measured.
There are hundreds of values that compete for your
attention, and knowing which ones you have chosen for your
life is vital. If you aren't clear about your highest
values, your chances for long-term fulfilment,
satisfaction and success are greatly diminished. If you
fail to affirm your primary values, you'll wander forever,
lost in a world of endless choices with no clear direction.
Among others, my own list of core values and life
priorities includes integrity, loyalty, fairness,
generosity, and "putting in before you take out." I value
persistence, consistency, reliability and stability.
Curiosity and creativity are high on my list of values.
What's on your list? Have you written it down? Have you
reviewed it with loved ones, and up-dated it recently?
Knowing your Core Values is List #1.
List #2: Your Long-term Goals and Priorities. What are
your 5- and 10-year goals? What are you doing and where are
you going with your life? What are the big pieces that get
your time and your best efforts?
Have you written your goals down, and shared the list with
your partners? Have you reviewed it since college, or up-
dated it since the kids left home? Do you know why you're
working so hard and how you'll measure your success 10
years from now? Write your Major Goals down and review them
frequently. Your List of Goals is essential.
List #3: Your Short-term Projects. Do you have a spring
campaign, or a 6-week project? Highly successful people
know their priorities and they work on them every day. They
have 30-day targets, and quarterly deadlines. They have a
written list of items to be completed by the end of the
month. What are you working on? How much progress will you
make by 5:00 P.M. Friday?
Highly successful people always maintain a list of current
projects. They always know the next step, the most
important piece of the puzzle, and they don't waste time.
What's on your list of projects?
List #4: Your Daily Habits. High achievers know their
daily actions in advance. They plan their days, and they
know the things that "must" be done each and every day.
They have a written list of their "Daily 7" or "Daily 10"
that may include things like exercise, meditation or
prayer, time to plan, and other daily behaviors that create
the life they desire. My personal list includes an hour to
read and a nice strenuous walk every day.
What's on your Daily List? Take care of yourself, every
day. Have some fun, every day! Do the things that create
and build the life you really want, and do them every
single day.
These are the lists that make life worthwhile. They are the
lists that high achievers keep close to their hearts and on
top of their desks. They are the lists that guide their
actions and inform their efforts. They are the lists, often
written on simple note paper, that are fundamental to
creating and living the life your truly want. What's on
your lists?
several months back: Life lived to the fullest is always
based on what I call "The Four Lists."
The Four Lists are the guide-posts to success. They are the
foundation for life-long achievement, peace of mind, and
personal satisfaction. It's simple, really. So simple that
we tend to forget them and in our desire for something more
complicated or "modern" (a list on your phone?), we can
miss the oldest trick in the book.
A great life is based on The Four Lists.
List #1: Your Core Values. Knowing what you believe, what
you value, what you stand for, is essential. Your values
and priorities are your compass. They are the touchstone
against which everything else is measured.
There are hundreds of values that compete for your
attention, and knowing which ones you have chosen for your
life is vital. If you aren't clear about your highest
values, your chances for long-term fulfilment,
satisfaction and success are greatly diminished. If you
fail to affirm your primary values, you'll wander forever,
lost in a world of endless choices with no clear direction.
Among others, my own list of core values and life
priorities includes integrity, loyalty, fairness,
generosity, and "putting in before you take out." I value
persistence, consistency, reliability and stability.
Curiosity and creativity are high on my list of values.
What's on your list? Have you written it down? Have you
reviewed it with loved ones, and up-dated it recently?
Knowing your Core Values is List #1.
List #2: Your Long-term Goals and Priorities. What are
your 5- and 10-year goals? What are you doing and where are
you going with your life? What are the big pieces that get
your time and your best efforts?
Have you written your goals down, and shared the list with
your partners? Have you reviewed it since college, or up-
dated it since the kids left home? Do you know why you're
working so hard and how you'll measure your success 10
years from now? Write your Major Goals down and review them
frequently. Your List of Goals is essential.
List #3: Your Short-term Projects. Do you have a spring
campaign, or a 6-week project? Highly successful people
know their priorities and they work on them every day. They
have 30-day targets, and quarterly deadlines. They have a
written list of items to be completed by the end of the
month. What are you working on? How much progress will you
make by 5:00 P.M. Friday?
Highly successful people always maintain a list of current
projects. They always know the next step, the most
important piece of the puzzle, and they don't waste time.
What's on your list of projects?
List #4: Your Daily Habits. High achievers know their
daily actions in advance. They plan their days, and they
know the things that "must" be done each and every day.
They have a written list of their "Daily 7" or "Daily 10"
that may include things like exercise, meditation or
prayer, time to plan, and other daily behaviors that create
the life they desire. My personal list includes an hour to
read and a nice strenuous walk every day.
What's on your Daily List? Take care of yourself, every
day. Have some fun, every day! Do the things that create
and build the life you really want, and do them every
single day.
These are the lists that make life worthwhile. They are the
lists that high achievers keep close to their hearts and on
top of their desks. They are the lists that guide their
actions and inform their efforts. They are the lists, often
written on simple note paper, that are fundamental to
creating and living the life your truly want. What's on
your lists?
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