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OK, not much to add today. It was a long one. This morning started out with a cranky review of some software. After that the rest of the day was just recovering from that.

Then after work I had some phone calls to take in the car and then a meeting with some high school buddies about some web endeavors we are trying to start up.

And after getting home around 9pm – I have some things I wanted to start in December. I’m trying to develop some plans and habits for 2012. So the month of December will be a test case. I’m starting a Bible study online. People can follow along as we go if they want through the year. So even though 2012 is a whole month away. I’m trying to set out a line in the sand to make sure that I’m well into the habit by the time the new year comes around.

What do you think? You want to get involved? Leave me a comment or find me on Facebook or somewhere and tell me you want to participate.

I was sure I’ve talked about this before – – some things are just worth repeating.

One of the things I’m considering using this blog for is my “Will Do” list. Now why a WillDo and not a ToDo? Maybe you can think of it as a MustDo list. These concepts and lists have different purposes.

For example, in the time management system called “Getting Things Done” (GTD by devoted fans, and the rest of us…) the idea is to put everything on your list to get it out of your head and on to paper. Then you spend your time prioritizing and deciding whether that was hair brained, an errant dream, or a vital task that must be accomplished.

I’m not looking for something like that. That is an all encompassing tool. I would like a comprehensive system. But there is no system that works if you don’t run it. And for me, consistency is lacking so any system will fail when you don’t crank the handle.

However, I do still have things that need to be accomplished in my life. Hmm, authorizing my newly issued debit card is on the list since the gas station doesn’t believe me when I say I have the new one while I’m trying to convince them to “just use the old, expired one for now.” There’s also that little issue with one of the taxing authorities, they’re looking for about a hundred bucks and some form from 3rd quarter of 2010. And they probably won’t wait forever… Things still need to get done.

Enter the “will do” list. It is a list that contains items that must be done today for the day to be considered a success. So how would this list work?

• It would have to be a short list.  You couldn’t put everything that pops into your head on this list, there are only so many hours in a day.
• It would have to be specific.  “Work on my book” doesn’t fly,  “write 200 words” would, or “review chapter structure” would if even just a cursory glance is enough.  (Helpful tip, sometimes even just saying “open and review outline” sounds simple and an easy throw away task.  But once you’ve gone to the trouble of opening it, you might as well work on it for a little while.  It’s a great way to trick yourself out of procrastination.  Or, as I like to call it, overcoming static friction.  Inertia works both ways, staying at rest AND remaining in motion.  I know that’s hard to believe with our friend friction around, but it’s true!
• It has to be a closed list.  This means you have to predetermine what’s on there.  You have the list laid out and you say “Go!”
• It has to be reviewed.  Now there is an amazing phenomenon that just putting the list down and never reviewing it will get at least 60 – 70% of it completed – that’s been my experience at least!  Could this be the “Law of Attraction” at work?  Don’t get me started… another time.  But “testin’ and trackin'” is the only way to incremental improvement.  If you don’t review, that percentage will remain at it’s 2/3 success rate (not bad, but lots of room to improve.

It’s that last point that this blog might come in handy for.  It would be the accountability that pushes for a review.  Of course this may mean that there has to be two posts – one for the list and one for it’s review.  Is that really true?  Could I just post that the last WillDo list has been reviewed and that be enough?  I’m still thinking about this one.  How can a blog be used as an accountability partner or tool?  Have you got ideas on this?

So it has begun. The challenge is under way.

And Ed leads off with one of his big ideas, the symphony of 4 parts

1. Research
2. Traffic
3. Conversion
4. Product

This is the big picture view of a business, whether online or not. Starting at the very beginning is market research. Why have a company that produces something that nobody is looking for. Why not find a market – meaning a group of people who all have something in common; be it a need, or an interest, or perspective on something. If you identify that group, you have a market you can offer something to.

This group/market can be rather small – as long as they are well defined and maybe at least a little passionate about their issue.

Today we are supposed to come up with a list of 5-10 of these in the form of simple ideas. That is the goal for today.

Cross Training

For today I have done my exercise (and obviously my writing). I did my 30DC videos this morning, and I will make my list out right after this post (I promise). Later tonight I will cover my spiritual bases. If I don’t I’ll surely report on it tomorrow.

Now if you have read this far, and you plan to follow my friend feed path through these 30 days with cross training, maybe you would like to open the spreadsheet and add your name and your cross training activity and we’ll hold one another accountable throughout the whole month. Take a chance and actually act – lets see what a difference it makes.

I want to encourage you to step out and take action, even just a little change in your normal routine can bring about corollary changes like ripples in the waters. Take the plunge and just try!

I was in the first grade at Brier Crest Elementary school.  Our school had three stories and the stair wells were in the center of the building with sky lights letting the bright sunshine to diffuse down and reflect off the white tiles.  I was headed back to my class after lunch and from the top floor one of the 6th graders looked down the stairs and saw me.

“Hey kid!” he shouted, “you wanna learn something to make you real smart?”

“Sure!” I yelled.

“Pie times diameter equals circumference!  Remember that and you’ll be real smart!”

I repeated it back to myself a couple of times until I knew I wouldn’t forget it.  What a great day!  Just out of nowhere this gem of wisdom comes floating down from those great elementary school titans – the 6th graders.  I just couldn’t wait until I could achieve the 6th grade.  And with my new found key to the storehouse of knowledge I would be unstoppable!  If only I could get to the 6th grade, I’d be happy then!

Then when I got to 6th grade I learned about the Jr. high kids and how they got to go to different classes.  When I could take more of my favorite classes and have more than one teacher, then I’d be happy.

And then in Jr. High I went over to my friend Jamie’s house.  His older brothers were in high school.  They had these cool jackets with our school colors on them.  Wow, when I got to high school, I’d be happy then.

In high school I was one of the first to get my drivers’ license, due to the fact that my birthday is in the fall.  As soon as I got my license and could drive, I’d surely be happy then.

I got my car, and in a few years I was a senior in high school.  But there were so many rules.  I would really be happy when I got to college and on my own.

After college and my friends were all getting married – I’d be happy when I got married.

And after I got married everyone asked, when I’d have kids.  I’d be happy when I had a family.

Now my kids are growing up so fast, I’ll finally be happy when they are older and we can do more things as a family.  If only that would happen, then I’d be happy.

Where does this end?  I keep waiting for that day I’ll be happy!

Maybe I better stop looking for happiness then, and see about happiness now…

What about you?  Are you saying “If only… then I’d be happy?”

Happiness is a choice, not unlike contentment.  We can be happy in some pretty miserable circumstances.  I remember being very happy one summer afternoon while dancing and goofing off with friends during a terrible summer storm.  We could be grouchy that we were soaked, or we could have some fun.  We were a little too old for that, but other people were crouched in business doorways and under trees.  We were out in the streets having fun!  Same circumstances, different choices.

You have to decide what your happiness is.  You can have it today, you won’t have to wait.  You just need to decide what it is!

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I am convinced that books are the key to success. They have no power in themselves. Even the great holy books from antiquity are merely ink and paper of some sort. Their power lies in the fact that books are vessels. Vessels of knowledge. Through books we can talk with predecessors long after they’re gone. We can interact and learn from those who would be far too busy to take the time to teach us these same lessons.

I have developed a love of learning through the medium of books, and I would like to find a way to share that with anyone who is following my blog. I’m going to read through and comment on a book, and I’d invite you to participate by reading along and adding comments as we go.  By sharing our ideas that we receive from reading books, we can get more from it than simply reading and reflecting alone.

Stay tuned and I’ll let everyone know which book we’ll start with and how you can best follow along.

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