Attacking the never-ending "to do" list

I'm a "to-do" list person. I have lists on my computer sticky notes. I have lists in my notebook. I have lists in my BlackBerry. Do this. Do that. Don't forget that. Don't forget this. And, of course, I shuffle and hussle and most things don't get done.



To me, everything is a "to-do" item. I learned once that if you put things on your "to-do" list that you know you'll actually do and can cross off, it'll make you feel like you accomplish things during the course of the day. Like blogging today. I know I'm going to do it, so "blog" goes on the list because I know I'll cross it off. But where's the prioritization?



That's the problem with me...I'm a reactionist, if that's even a word. I react to what I need to do at that moment, or where my monkey mind (a Buddhist term meaning "unsettled") thoughts take me. You know, those random thoughts that come to you during the day that you have to stop everything to Google the information before you lose the train of thought.

Okay...maybe that's a 44 year old thing. LOL!!

In my attempt to become more organized, less reactionist, and less of a do-it-at-the-last-minute person, I read a fantastic book called THE WAR OF ART: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield. It's a brilliant book that's changed my life.



It talks about what keeps us from our art is Resistance. Resistance is anything that keeps us from our art. Resistance comes in many forms. Resistance is there to keep us from reaching our potential and seeing our dreams fulfilled. Resistance is self-doubt, procrastination, focusing on the wrong things, getting involved in television shows, online games, Facebooking, or anything else that keeps your attention away from your art. It takes the form of your relationship, your friendships, your job, your chores, anything. It's evil and you have to overcome it. Resistance keeps you from your artistic potential.

So, for me, my goal in 2011 is to beat the crap to of Resistance. For me, that includes not wasting time, not getting sucked into online dramas on Facebook, or spending way too much time trying to beat my high score in Bejeweled Blitz. I will stick to the "to-do" lists...doing what is IMPORTANT and not what is URGENT (as the book recommends) and focusing on my art. Manuscripts, proposals, new ideas, new characters, new words. That's what matters.



What is keeping you from your art? What is your Resistance?

Hugs,
Marley = )

www.marleygibson.com
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Lists of Lists

I like making lists. A lot. I'll make lists for anything. Grocery lists, to do lists, Christmas lists, wishlists. If it's listable, I've probably listed it. I'm not sure exactly why I like lists so much—maybe it's the feeling that I have control over whatever I put on the list. (Note: this is very much not true, since I often spend more time making the list than doing the things on it.)

Shave the cat. Really?

Today, though, I'm going to go above and beyond my normal, average, everyday listmaking. Today, I'm going to make a list of lists I want to make. Pretty twisted, right? Well, that's a Virgo for you.

1. Bucket List—The obligatory list of things I want to do before I die. This list will be so long, though, that I'm not sure I could ever finish. I want to do everything, from visit every continent to read every work by Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and  Agatha Christie.
2. 1001 Things in 101 Days—A list of 1001 things to accomplish in 101 days. That's almost three years. I could do a lot of amazing things in three years. Write books, travel the world, move three times, train for a marathon... The possibilities are endless.
3. 100 Things—I'm very attracted to minimalism, the idea of living with as little as you need. There is a movement within minimalism to keep personal belongings to a maximum of 100 things. I'm not sure if I'm ready to live with just 100 things, but I'd love the challenge of figuring out what those 100 things would have to be.

And, of course, it goes without saying that making the New York Times bestseller list is definitely on my list of lists. If only I could make that list as easily as I can make the others.

Have you made any of the above lists? Do you want to? Are you a right-brainer who runs screaming from the room at the very idea of making a list?

Hugs,
TLC

teralynnchilds.com
@teralynnchilds