The Three Lists to Freedom

I love Chris Ducker’s exercise: “Three Lists to Freedom.”

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard him share on podcasts how this exercise revolutionized his life. In his words, “It’s a game changer.”

Alas, I’ve never actually sat down and done it.

Today’s Exercise: Take at least 30 Minutes and Do the Three Lists to Freedom Exercise

The exercise is simple enough, but it’s no easy. He explains it much better in the blog post linked above, but you’re here now, so here goes.

I made three columns on a sheet of paper. Label them thusly:

• Things I hate doing
• Things I’m not so great at doing and struggle, but try really hard anyway
• Things I shouldn’t be doing (although I might be good at them)

I didn’t limit myself to work tasks, including everything (somewhere on the list) from updating my home budget to doing major home renovation projects.

While I’m not in a position to quit doing everything I hate right now, the list give me a punch list.  I’ve at least identified items that I can earmark for offloading.

I heard Ducker mention this exercise in the Lewis Howes podcast I referenced yesterday. And as I continued to read Seth Godin’s The Dip today, I realized how well Ducker’s exercise dovetails with Godin’s ideas about learning to quit certain things in order to be the best in the world at the most important thing(s).

We simply cannot do everything. And trying to do everything will cause us to miss out on doing the most important things as well as possible. I almost didn’t get this blog post written because I was trying to edit a picture of my three lists on PicMonkey.

As 5 minutes turned to 25 minutes, I realized I should stop my failed attempts at design and write the dang post.

Hopefully, this exercise will work its way into my life and force me to notice what I should not, under any circumstances be doing so that I can be more effective. More effective doing things like…

My Second Action Item: Develop My Potential Speaking or Teaching Opportunities

I wasn’t going to let the day end before I reached out to a possible opportunity to share what I know for my target niche.

I did it (and today I got a reply from one of the organizations I reached out to last week).

I’m excited about where this Challenge is leading me.

Today’s Reading and Listening

Episode 104 Getting Back To School With Your Selling Skills August 19,2014 – Paul Castain

In this episode, the venerable Uncle Paul encourages mindset to a (a) Can do – attitude, (b) Will do – ‘action bias’ as I like to call it and (c) Must do – a sense of urgency.

He also referenced a checklist of tools that he suggests we ask of him. I did email him for the checklist today, but in his next podcast, he says we need to ask nicely. I’ll resend my email tomorrow. I wasn’t quite Tarzan in my ask, but I was a little terse. Sorry sir.

Episode 105 Getting Back To School With Your Selling Skills Part II August 26, 2014 – Paul Castain

I was proud when Mr. Castain got to preaching about how addicted we are to content. I’ve already gone to the confessional on this issue, and am currently in recovery. This blog is all about my recovery from content addiction to content-inspired action.

The Dip by Seth Godin

In today’s reading, Godin really punched home the importance of quitting distractions in order to avoid mediocrity.

———————–

What did you read today? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.