Hi, everyone, 

How often do you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? While in theory, to-do lists can be an effective tool to get all of your daily tasks completed, more often than not they can also leave you feeling more disillusioned and not as productive as you hoped. 

Here’s the problem with creating lists: you need to understand them in the context of your life.

THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP

For example, let’s look at a list of things I want to do this week: 

• Deliver on client work

• Be a great manager

• Exercise

With a to-do list like this, the focus is checking off items as fast as possible. I’m measured on what I did. The more check marks, the better. I may even be tempted to compare my accomplishments to those around me, judging my worth based on how complete my list is at the end of the week. 

THE WEEKLY FLOURISH

Do Be Do Be Do? Make Your To-Be List Before Your To-Do List

Recently, the quality of my life has changed since I began measuring my days differently. Instead of creating a to-do list, I’ve started reflecting on one key question: “Who do I need to become to get all that I want in life?” 

Every morning, I make a to-be list. It could be something like this: 

• Prepared

• Brave

• Confident

Knowing I want to be prepared, means I need to plan my week so I can over deliver for my clients. That means blocking out time to prep, research, create workbook materials, create offboarding surveys, and so forth. 

Knowing I want to be brave, means showing up as the bravest version of myself throughout the week, including giving direct and kind feedback to my team, not cancelling meetings, and giving myself permission to be human when I don’t have all the answers. 

Staying confident means moving my body, following through on my workouts, and creating time in my schedule to prioritize my health so I can show up with the energy I desire for my life and business. 

Suddenly, I’m able to see my week (and the way I’m spending my time) come into focus in a way that aligns with who I want to be. 

Your turn: Who do you want to be? Are you currently showing up as that person? If not, what do you need to change this week to move closer to who you wish to become?

GREATNESS TAKES GUIDANCE

From Strengths-Based Development to Growth Mindset work, our group coaching program Activate is designed to help you hone in on who you want to be as a manager. It includes the tools, accountability, and high-level support that will allow you to consistently show up in alignment with the biggest vision for your career and life. 

To putting the being in human beings! 

—Carrie and Team Leadology