Achieve the Extraordinary: Create a Success List to Change Your Life

Andy Henson

We've been talking about Trusted Systems recently. One essential component is how you manage your priorities.

For most people, this is some kind of TODO list, whether analogue or digital.

In The One Thing, Gary Keller says,

Left in its raw state, as a simple inventory, a to-do list can easily lead you astray. A to-do list is simply the things you think you need to do; the first thing on your list is just the first thing you thought of. To-do lists inherently lack the intent of success. In fact, most to-do lists are actually just survival lists—getting you through your day and your life, but not making each day a stepping-stone for the next so that you sequentially build a successful life.

Did you know that the word “priorities” only appeared in the 20th century? Until then, the only word was “priority”, singular — the single thing that matters most. It is only relatively recently that we seem to have decided that’s not productive enough, so the plurality appeared because we “needed” multiple priorities.

Since not everything matters equally, you must figure out which matters most. When everything is a priority, then nothing is.

As Keller puts it:

Achievers operate differently. They have an eye for the essential. They pause just long enough to decide what matters and then allow what matters to drive their day. Achievers do sooner what others plan to do later and defer, perhaps indefinitely, what others do sooner. The difference isn’t in intent, but in right of way. Achievers always work from a clear sense of priority.

Success Lists

There’s an effect known as the Delmore Effect, which states that the more important something is, the less willing people are to spell out their goals. People tend to avoid goals when something really matters to them. Since our lower priority stuff gets the behavioural boosts through goal setting, we find our time spent checking off the never-ending TODO lists, which aren’t pushing us toward our bigger ambitions.

What we ultimately need is a Success list. A list that is purposefully created around achieving extraordinary results.

Think Bigger

It’s time to think bigger. Our limiting beliefs about our ultimate potential often hold us back. What is it that you genuinely aspire towards, both professionally and personally?

This week’s Thinking Time challenges you to think about this. Only when you can define your ambition can you start to chart a path towards it. These are the few items that should make it to your success list.

When you drive your day from that list, you will no longer simply survive; better results and a better life will follow.

Thinking Time

Use your Thinking Time this week to truthfully admit your biggest ambitions, professionally and personally. These are likely the things that you don’t yet dare to share with anyone else. It’s ok if it’s daunting. In fact, that’s somewhat necessary. There’s no growth without discomfort, so lean into what your inner voice might tell you.

Get it out on paper in front of you. When you have something, a valuable question to pose is, “Is my ambition big enough? What if I were to 10x it? What would that look like?”

The goal is not to figure it all out but to determine what is most important to you and, therefore, what the next step in that journey must be to build your success list.