Friday, January 1, 2016

My End of Days



THE END OF A YEAR and the start of a new one gives an opportunity for review. 

In these days of busyness it is challenging but for me important. It is something I learned not just to do every 12 months but much more sooner.

I had this frustration at the end of each day the anxiety as to whether I with as progressing towards my goals or not. It consumed me and would effect my motivation for the next. 

As growth and progress is largely incremental I just needed to know that at least the day wasn't wasted and had ' moved the peanut' forward. Even if not just a little bit.

Being a list person, I guess the solution was obvious and I eventually got around to the solution which has now become a daily routine of signing off on the day. Let me best explain, yes of course, with a list:

1/ I headed up my list - Successes, Progress, Ideas and New Knowledge

2/ I would mentally review my day since waking (and even before if in my sleep I remembered I had an idea to work on)

3/ I would write the list down in my notebook. Sometimes in Evernote but writing on paper seemed to have more power

4/ It didn't have to be earth shattering in size or importance but could be a different reaction or a change in a response which I regarded as a small but important personal growth

5/ Whilst some of the points were in line with my current goals many of the points weren't but  observations of changes and serendipity.

6/ As I reflected on the list I would get a sense of achievement and reassurance the day hadn't been wasted. (reminding that getting out of bed was worth while)

7/ At times reflecting on the list of results from the day how little had been done in the day on my goals - sending an alarm

8/ My ultimate was to add up the list- 15 items was a very ordinary day, 20 was good progress and 30 items my nirvana

9/ Finally at the end of the week I would once again review the days lists and highlight the points which were major wins or breakthroughs

10/ This gave me a sense of achievement and set up my drive to beat yesterday.

I remember an interview with Australian middle distance runner, Ron Clarke, that held many world records. When asked how he had achieved so many over his career. His response was he hadn't set out to break the record but just do better than he had done the day before.