List-Making—Narrowing Your Focus, Rethinking Success

If you're like me, you already make lists a lot.

'Honey Do' lists.

Shopping lists.

Cleaning Lists.

Contact Lists.

Project Lists.

And the list goes on.

But what if we used lists as a way for us to stay focused on the most important things in our day to day life? To guide our behaviors to get the success in life we want? 

Getting the idea from a magazine, I wrote down what success looks like to me. I'm sorry, I don't remember what magazine or who the author was, but apparently success for me is a couple of pages filled with flowery words and no basis in reality. 

But the exercise was still useful, it made me re-think success. It made me narrow down what I am most concerned about. So I read that paragraph and picked out the 5 things that really matter to me.

1. Strong network of family and friends.

2. Close and open relationship with my children.

3. A happy and rich marriage.

4. Financial stability.

5. Personal growth personally and professionally.

This list is like a flashing neon light pointing my actions in the right direction.

I can immediately think of something I can do to accomplish each of these things. So, you know what I did?

I made a Successful Life list. 

1.Write thank you notes to people who attended and planned a recent mentoring event. 

2. Listen to my children. No TV, no distractions and talk about whatever they want.

3. Write my husband a love letter.

4. Schedule a meeting with a financial adviser. (with my lack of knowledge on finances, I need a professional.)

5. Drop off dinner for a friend whose husband is ill. 

Now, this is not how I normally behave. I want to make. that. crystal. clear. Usually, I just watch Fringe. But this is how I'd like to behave.

I encourage everyone to sit down and do this, in pages of flowery prose first, if necessary. But then make your top 5 or 7 or 3 life ideals. Things you feel you need in order to classify your life as 'successful'.

Think about them, and what can you do today to put your life closer to that ideal.

 I recently met a man who said "Failing to plan is planning to fail." I guess list-making is my lazy way of creating a plan, Fringe is getting a final season after all.

Happy list-making.