“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
― Albert Einstein

When I face an out-of-control to-do list, I find it helpful to break it down into what I call a “Do-Delegate-Don’t” list.

Do

These are your “mission-critical” tasks. If it isn’t critical to your goals and vision, it doesn’t go here.

Delegate

If you can hand it off to someone else, put it here. Find someone willing to help and get back to more important responsibilities. Don’t micromanage the process.

Don’t

This list might be more important than the “Do” list. Why even have this list if you’re not going to do any of these tasks? Because it keeps you focused by reminding you what’s important. This list is for all the “shiny objects” that pull you off course and away from your goals.

“It’s better to shoot and miss than to let time run out and wonder what if.”
― Michael Jordan

What if I smile more?

What if I lose 10 pounds?

What if I turn off the news?

What if I stop multitasking?

What if I focus intensely for one week?

What if I work on my passion project every day?

What if I move to a new city?

What if I lose all my money?

What if I win one million dollars?

What if I quit my job?

What if I quit worrying?

What if I leave town for one month?

What if I say no?

What if I say yes?

“Complaining isn’t a strategy.”
― Jeff Bezos

How to fail at anything in 3 easy steps:

1. Complain about your situation.

2. Blame others for your mistakes.

3. Don’t take any action to improve.

“He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.”
― Aristotle

1. Can you stay confident amid the chaos?

2. Do you listen when someone disagrees with you?

3. Are you willing to abandon a project if it’s no longer the best path forward?

4. Will you risk your position to help the team?

5. Do you give other people all the credit for success? Really?

6. Are you developing new leaders?

“Don’t let anyone define you. You define yourself.”
― Billie Jean King

Don’t let your birthplace define you.

Don’t let your parents define you.

Don’t let a job define you.

Don’t let laziness define you.

Don’t let failures and mistakes define you.

Don’t let fear and anxiety define you.

Don’t let doubt define you.

Don’t let pain define you.

Define yourself by your work, your effort, your drive, your energy, your resolve, and your hustle.

“I never learn anything by talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.”
― Lou Holtz

If you want to accelerate your learning:

1. Stay quiet and listen.
2. Ask thoughtful questions.
3. Be willing to make mistakes.

“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.”
― Theophrastus

Being present to your family is the greatest gift you can give them.

No amount of thinking about your mom is worth as much as a 20-minute phone call. No amount of worrying about your kids is worth as much as an hour of real conversation. No amount of flowers or chocolates or diamonds is worth as much as taking your wife on a date.

Spend some time, put your phone down, and be fully present to the people closest to you.

“Put me in coach, I’m ready to play today.”
― John Fogerty, “Centerfield”

You can’t win a game you don’t play. It’s the same in chess, poker, and baseball. It’s true for copywriting, public speaking, and business, too. Watching from the stands doesn’t count. Standing on the sidelines won’t make any difference. Being a cheerleader isn’t enough. You need to get in the game.

So, what’s holding you back?

Maybe you don’t know the rules. No problem. You can learn them.

Maybe you think you don’t have the skills required. No problem. You can train.

Maybe you’re afraid to fail. No problem. If you fail, try again.

Get in the game. What’s the worst that can happen? Get on the field, play the game, learn, keep improving, and have fun.

“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”
― Roy E. Disney

If you ever get stuck in a neverending analysis paralysis loop, and can’t make a decision, try this:

1. Prioritize your problem.
2. Ask yourself, “Which decision is best for my top priority?”
3. Go with the answer.

For instance, if you’re shopping for a new sleeping bag, your top priority might be weight. Go with the lightest option. Or maybe your top priority is comfort. Choose the most comfortable sleeping bag.

Problem solved.

“Think excitement, talk excitement, act out excitement, and you are bound to become an excited person.”
― Norman Vincent Peale

Are you excited? Why or why not?

If you’re not excited, you’re probably bored.

Let’s forget about the boring and mundane. Paying the bills doesn’t excite anyone. Neither does browsing through Netflix for an hour in the hope of finding something interesting to watch. Find a way to minimize time spent on necessary tasks and eliminate unnecessary ones.

So, what would get you excited?

How about getting a shiny new laptop? Or maybe you could finally learn to play the guitar? What if you took a weeklong vacation? These would all excite a lot of people.

I’ll suggest a better approach. Focus on exciting experiences. Build a website over a weekend. Play the guitar for a campfire sing-along with friends. Spend a week in a national park.

Don’t worry if things go poorly. In the end, you’ll end up with a great story about your website of horrors, your off-key campfire choir, and how you learned to cook over a fire during a downpour.