So I woke up on this particular Monday all set to take on my day and cross off all I had on my list.
Having created my to-do list the previous evening and ensured it included even this pro-bono newsletter I wanted to pitch to a founder. I kicked off my day with placing a call to my social media manager (which was not answered), a call to a prospective customer (which was not answered either), and a last call to the founder (which was busied).
I became distraught and a bit panicky. The to-dos I had placed first were not making headway and I started considering dumping the remainder of the 7 things I had left on my list. In my head, "the 1st three most important ones weren't going as planned, so what makes you think the rest wouldn't be a flop either?”
I was going to throw in the towel, but I paused, took a deep breath and told myself to continue with the day but now in an unordered manner; that is, not according to how I numbered them on my to-do. In fact, I went to start from the 10th thing on my list (a meeting with a software engineer in India), and surprisingly it went all smooth.
After I got off the call, I was all cheerful and pumped to follow through with the action plans we had agreed on the call and while I was at it, those three initial calls I made to my first three persons of contact were returned and the day became a bee-hive of activities.
Haphazardly and in no particular order I succeeded in crossing off everything I had on my list for that day and even had time to take a walk in the evening. 🤭 😌
Why I shared this story with you? I learned on that day that: 👇
"Sometimes we find progress in the midst of chaos."
Being someone who thrives where there is order and structure in place, I realized that things going off course had the tendency to affect my productivity. However, with increasing self awareness I am learning to focus on turning my weaknesses into strength. I have gradually began to learn that things will not always work out as I envisaged them. On the days when they do, I am grateful, and on the days they don't, I have learned to take a deep breath and find my order/footing even amidst the chaos.
Sometimes, our limitations are the ones we created by ourselves and mine in this case (and as weird as it sounds) was the numbering of my to-do list.
That a task is labeled 1, 2, 3.... does not in any way mean it must be followed through in that order. Matter of fact, there are options of starting from the descending order (top to bottom), the option of starting from the ascending order (bottom to top), and of course the option of starting either from the middle (to top or bottom) or even picking randomly.
The goal should always be to achieve the set target(s) and not the order in which it is achieved. This is actually the reason why Agile methodology is widely acclaimed as the best approach in Project and Product Management.
It's a new week and coincidentally also the end of Q3. And just as this picture 👇 rightly says;
"Never lose sight of the goal. However, remember to be flexible about your method of achieving it."
Even when all seems to be chaotic, "seek to find the order therein." That, is how you become a dogged and unconditional achiever.
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PS: My Q3 was quite a roller-coaster I will be taking this week to review it. I might write to you about it during the weekend, so I'll advise you click on the subscribe button to ensure you don't miss it.
Till then, cheers and stay Jiggy! 🥂
The Limitations Are In Our Head
An interesting read.
Call it a "glitch" in how I process things, but when I have listed out a series of to do's, the objective is to try to achieve them. The numbering for me doesn't define the sequence I must follow. Which I was glad you realised eventually. But trust me there was no chaos. It was only in your head.