The Grocery List for Life !

FOREWORD:

I’ve chosen the title simply because just as many people find a Grocery List helpful to get exactly what they want in the least amount of time in a Grocery Store, there are certain Lists which will help each of us get exactly what we desire out of Life in the least amount of time.

Any one of these Lists can have a dramatic impact on your Life.  All of them together will provide you a Life and Lifestyle that most people only dream about achieving.  It’s my desire that you will give careful consideration to constructing each List so that you will indeed become the Best you can become.

“If you work at developing a Lifestyle for the next 5 years like most people WON’T

you’ll be able to live your Life like most people CAN’T.”

CHAPTERS:

Gratitude List

Accomplishment List

To Do List

What I’m Learning List

Goals List

Ways to Improve List

GRATITUDE LIST

            This is a definite Attitude Changing List that everyone should have.  When it seems that Life has you down and is kicking you repeatedly, simply get out your Gratitude List and start to appreciate all of the wonderful things that you have to be thankful for.  It is a great way to offset and/or replace all of the Negative thoughts that have been occupying your mind.

            Start your Gratitude List by writing down each and everything you have been given and that you should be appreciative off.  You might include your relationship with a Higher Power, your Health, your Spouse, your Children, your Grandchildren, your Residence, the area of the Country that you live in, your Vehicle(s), your Job or Career, your Income, your Portfolio, your Wardrobe, your Appearance,  your Friends or Associates, your Talents and/or Abilities in specific areas, your Hobbies, your Interests, your Volunteer work, the Sunrises, the Sunsets, the Rain, Rainbows, certain Flowers or Birds or Animals, certain things you’ve Acquired, certain Places you been able to visit or even Live, etc.

            I urge you to start each item on your List  with the words; “I am thankful for . . .”.

            As with most Lists, it doesn’t need to be set in concrete.  Continually add new things as you think of them.  In fact I’ll go so far as to suggest if you can’t add at least one new Experience or Person or Gift to your Gratitude List each and every week, you might be experiencing the Richness of Life that you deserve.

ACCOMPLISHMENT LIST

            This is another great list to have which will offset a different set of Negatives.  Every so often we start to doubt our progress.  We wonder if our efforts are really paying off.  We concern ourselves with worry about not accomplishment as much as we want as fast as we want it.  Needless to say it helps to remember that our Higher Power provides to us on His timetable and not ours, however it can also help to have an Accomplishment List.

            This is a List of everything and every Goal you’ve accomplished, the Date you achieved it and how it Felt.  If you’re just now starting this List it’s really neat to sit down and remember and recall everything you’ve accomplished over the last 5, 10 or 20 years to make up your List.  Then in the future, add to your List every single time you achieve another Goal, Victory and/or Success, plus the Date you made it happen and most importantly, how It Felt.

            If at any time in the future you start to doubt your progress, simply look over your Accomplishment List to appreciate how far you’ve come and all that you have accomplished.

TO DO LIST

            Any great Entrepreneur will gladly share with you that one of the most important List they have is their To Do List.  This would include everything you should be doing each day and should go at least one Month into the Future.  In fact you might want to use a Legal Pad instead of a standard Day Planner.  Each page would have the Day and Date written on the top except for the weekend where you might want to have both Saturday and Sunday on the same page.  You’ll quickly discover that you can easily have about 6 Weeks on one Legal Pad.

            Here’s a critical point that is not included in most other publications.  Always assign an “A” or “B” or “C” priority to each item, unless it’s a firm Appointment which you know you’re going to keep.  Needless to say, anything that needs to be done immediately or in the near future would have an “A” next to it.  Some things that would be nice to do if you have the extra time would be classified as a “B”.  The rest are items that you’ll do someday in the future and of course they would have a “C” classification.  As you go through each day and each week, certain “B” priorities will need to be changed to an “A” and some “C” items will become a “B” because of time limitations.

            Now here’s the most important thing you’ll ever learn about achieving More in Less time.  Always start with the things you don’t like or even those things which you despise . . . FIRST.  Instead of confusing Activity with Accomplishment and getting a few “B” or “C” items done, you’ll be way ahead of the pack if you concentrate on the “A” items first and never move to a “B” or “C” until and unless all of the “A” items have been completed on your List for that particular day.

WHAT I’M LEARNING LIST

            There’s an old saying: “When you’re Green you Grow and when you’re Ripe you Rot” which is so true.  It’s amazing how many people are still using the same skills and even choices of words that they learned 5, or 10 or 20 years ago.  They certainly don’t have 5, or 10 or 20 years experience.  They have one year’s experience repeated many, many years in a row.

            I challenge you to start a Legal Pad where you write down a column on the left from top to bottom of Days and Dates and then next to each Day, write down a specific Skill, Technique, Idea or choice of Words that you’ve purposely added to your arsenal on that Day and Date. 

            If you happen to find yourself at the end of a Day and can’t identify something to add to your Leaning List, at least be willing to open up a Dictionary and blindly point to any Word.  Practice, drill and rehearse that Word and add that to you vocabulary.

GOALS LIST

            Of course it’s critical to have short term, mid term and long range Goals.  You know the drill by now; if you don’t know where you’re going you’ll probably end up someplace else, or if you fail to plan you’re planning on failing.

            Remember the Formula when setting Goals; AIM, CLAIM, PROCLAIM and you will OBTAIN.

AIM – Be specific on exactly what you want and describe it in great detail.

CLAIM – Instead of using “I will” or “I am going to” always put your Goal Statement in the “now” by saying; “I AM OWNING . . .” or “I AM EARNING . . . “, etc.  Also make sure and have a definite Due Date, such as; “ON OR BEFORE (date)”.

PROCLAIM – Write your Goals on many 3 x 5 Cards and place them in your Sock Drawer, your Car Visor, your Billfold or Purse, your Refrigerator, your Coffee Pot, your Dresser, your Night Stand, etc. and read them out loud every time you see them.

You will OBTAIN – Although this Formula works a majority of the time, it is possible that you will occasionally miss a Goal or a Due Date.  No problem.  Always remember that the real value of Goal Setting is the person we become in the process of trying to achieve more out of Life.

WAYS TO IMPROVE LIST

            Many successful leaders in History are famous for setting aside some time each weekend and writing down at least 10 ways to do what they do Faster, Cheaper or Better.     Of course not all of them are Winners however by forcing yourself to constantly and continually evaluate your situation, you’ll be amazed at some of the truly great Ideas you will be able to come up with.

            Once you have your List of 10, pick out the one that could have the most dramatic impact on your growth and income and write it out in the form of a Positive Affirmation.  Keep that 3x5 Card in your Work area and consciously be aware of it and attempt to implement it whenever possible for the next week. Each weekend simply repeat the process.