Theme: MOMENTUM GAIN
12.03.2021
The thing with lists ..
When I have important stuff to do I make lists.
Especially when planning something like a trip.
I note stuff so I don’t forget.
And usually every single item is important in order to accomplish whatever needs accomplishing.
However, I noticed that the items on the list never all get crossed out and that it also doesn’t matter.
What I thought mattered greatly at some point doesn’t anymore.
Have you noticed that too?
It feels they simply just get absorbed.
Where do they go?
I wonder if some items/tasks are just future_projections based on some of the other items/tasks listed?
Items to fill the list?
Items to make it a list in the first place?
Lists of more than 5 items become scary.
I look at them and feel instantly exhausted.
All of those points I have to accomplish before I get to my goal.
And I guess it’s a good thing.
To have a goal and to itemise all the steps which need to be taken.
However, the premise of making a list is that all the items are swirling in your head and it gets slightly stressful because you are afraid.
Afraid to not remember them all.
To make mistakes.
That’s why you decide to make a list in the first place.
So the premise sentiment is low degree fear and stress.
Fear to forget what’s important and stress of the consequences this might entail.
That’s how a list is produced.
And we know what happens when we do something out of fear and stress..
We dramatise.
It’s human nature.
So I can imagine that half of the items of a long list are simply drama.
And when there are more than 5 items it gets confusing anyway.
So what’s on top of our list?
What do we list first?
The most scary item?
The most pressing?
Maybe ..
It would make sense to place the more pressing and uncomfortable things to do at the top of the list.
Not sure how I do it, I will have to pay attention next time because I can imagine it is poignant.
As I said, long lists don’t come from a good place and are filled with drama.
What would happen if we trained ourselves to only ever produce lists of max. 3 items to do?
And observe what happens to the rest of our drama?
We write lists to also silence our head.
To stop the swirling.
To have a ‘clear’ understanding of the steps we need to take.
But I bet we only ever have to take three steps.
It’s a magic number.
I wonder if we — each day — just choose three what will happen?
And not only the most uncomfortable but
- One scary
- One medium
- One fun
And see what happens.
And take the rest of the day off …
Keep our head free of worry
You’ve done enough.
I noticed in myself that I often believe that things have to be pushed hard to happen.
More and more, however, I noticed glimpses that this is actually not the case. But then I forget again.
Habits.
Of pushing.
If something is easy and fun, how can it be valid?
Unfortunately, we make life harder than it should be.
It’s like pushing a cart with the breaks on.
And we think that’s smart.
And because it’s hard work we ask for a raise.
But why would you be granted a raise? Maybe a little one since the system is based on work horses.
How about releasing the breaks and then ask for a raise because you actually work with joy and easy and accomplish so much more? Create more value?
But fear and stress (which are ultimately the same) are contagious and infect other human beings around us.
Often going unnoticed.
But not unfelt.
Where are the mouth caps for that shit?
I’ve noticed in myself that the most scary items on the list often gets pushed down the list.
Staying there from one day to the next.
Constantly hanging over me.
Making me feel miserable and more scared as time goes by.
Prolonged pain.
And then I can’t enjoy the medium pressing or even fun tasks.
Everything feels the same.
Wretched.
The cart gets more and more stuck.
And any movement so much harder.
So how if I sweeten my three tasks a day by wrapping a scary pressing task into two fun and easy ones?
To lift the breaks?
And then take the rest of the day off …
See what happens.
The key is to keep up spirits.
Find a way to be the opposite of scared.
I bet when you make up the next list of three, some of the items you thought you had to keep in mind actually sorted themselves out.
Because you unstuck your breaks, the cart has gained a little momentum by itself.
That’s what you want.
Gain momentum.
For the cart eventually going at your pace almost by itself and you just apply the tip of your index finger to occasionally guide it over a stone or slightly adjust the direction.
No need to push.
At all.
Taking full advantage of its gained momentum.
Cool, right?
Because then you can enjoy the scenery.
I noticed my recent list contains not only practical things to do but also things concealed.
The ‘what if’ items.
That’s the drama.
What ifs.
Projections.
And they go on the same list as the practical stuff.
And we confuse them as the same thing.
However, if we only ever focus on three, ideally all of them fun if we can trust in that way, the next three will be informed by what the previous three impacted.
It could be totally different from what we initially thought would happen.
That’s a smart way to operate.
Because every action of us has a reaction.
And according to the reaction, we should plan the next set of actions.
It’s like a game of chess.
Would you try to do all the possible moves on your (one) turn?
You wouldn’t.
Because it doesn’t work.
Even if you tried very very very hard.
Instead you make your move.
And wait for the other to make theirs.
Give time.
Create space.
And granted, you loosely anticipate the opposite’s next move but your projections are never set in stone since your opposite can make a move you didn’t anticipate.
That’s the challenge of the game.
And the fun.
Why deprive yourself of it?
Ok, one might argue that there has to be a push to gain momentum in the first place. But anyone remotely familiar with physics knows that it doesn’t have to be a hard prolonged push to set off motion but instead could be a short focussed one.
Like a karate chop.
And then little adjustments.
If the path ahead is fairly straight.
And what if the path is not?
What if your cart is at the bottom of a hill?
Ha.
Then challenge your equipment.
Get a fucking rucksack.
PS.
Mostly we are so wrapped up in our needs that we neglect our wants.
There is a difference.
