Back of an envelope? Colour-coded list in a book? Diary entries in your phone? Most of us have a to do list somewhere, but how do you feel about it? Do you get that “Friday Failure Feeling” when you have not completed everything on the list? Do you get to the end of a day and think “I’ve been really busy but what on earth did I actually achieve today?”

If so, you aren’t alone. But try this trick. It seems to work for lots of people who I recommend it to. For best results do it NOW. TODAY. QUICKLY. (You will see that a lot on this blog…) Or I guarantee something less important will come along…

1) Look at the list and decide which one thing will make the biggest difference (to your profit, life, whatever).Be ruthless about this bit. Is the one thing not even on there ?!
2) Ask yourself “What is stopping me starting that right now ?”
3) Listen to the brilliant list of excuses that your mind can come up with (but don’t give yourself too hard a time – everyone’s mind plays the same tricks!)
4) Ignore the list of excuses and do JUST ONE THING to start this task. I love the phrase – “Eat your elephant in bite sized pieces” – I always add “…but bite it now, or it will run off”
5) Right. Done it ? (If not, stop reading, this blog isn’t for you !)
Do you feel a bit better? A little more in control of the things that matter?
OK so try it again, just once tomorrow too.

More than 95% of people who have tried this tell me it works. And I reckon the 5% just don’t want to tell me I’m on to something !

Next blogs…Quick ways to use GROW…The blagging police…