List of Delusions

I’m a list maker. If it’s not on a list, it’s most likely not going to get done. (In fact, I wrote a list of things to include in this post about lists). Lists give the illusion of having a purpose, being organised and in control.

But there’s a downside to list making – the abject feeling of failure when you reach the end of the day, weekend, week (or whatever your timeframe), and you find more items on your list are not crossed off than are crossed off. This feeling of mediocrity can easily be avoided, however. The trick is to be more expansive in your list making. Add, add, add. Everything should go on your list, especially things you’ve already done. These can then immediately be crossed off. “Get out of bed” – check! “Eat breakfast” – check! “Breath in” – check! “Breath out” – check!

In this way you are far more likely to shift the balance back to having more items checked off than not. It doesn’t matter that you may have only succeeded in merely existing and your thesis on procrastination remains unwritten. You have climbed from the ranks of list mediocrity to that of list mastery!