I just completed a pretty intense first quarter of business re-signing and holding on to some great clients and taking on a bunch more (yes, this recession has been good to my business – so far!).

My health wasn't the greatest in Q1 and I need/will to do a better job for my number one client – ME! That's a personal guarantee.

After taking a look at the weeks and months ahead and my ever increasing "To-Do List" which is tied to my goals, I realized that I needed to create one more list.

I just finished my, "TO DON'T LIST!"

It's a pretty simple freeing exercise.

Your To Do list must be tied to your goals and dreams.

Your To Don't list details those poorly categorized so-called "important" things that have nothing to do with your goals.

What I've done is pretty simple – my overarching business goal screen is that my "to-dos" are basically whatever needs to be done to get or keep a customer. That's it.

P.S.: To guide me, I dusted off my old Stephen Covey Quadrant Living Matrix featured in his classic book, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People to guide me. Here it is:

Covey matrix










If you've never read Covey, you're missing something special.  Covey's seven habits are:

  1. Be Proactive

  2. Begin with an End in Mind
  3. Put First Things First
  4. Think Win-Win
  5. Seek First to Understand
  6. Synergize
  7. Sharpen the Saw
  8. And, his latest 8th habit is about moving from being
    effective     to being great. The 8th habits is: Find
    your Voice & Inspire Others to Find Theirs    . The essence of this habit is
    that you will find your voice when you can say that you     are 100% involved
    in what you are doing with your life. By 100% involvement, what is meant
    is that your body, mind, heart and spirit are all engaged in the adventure
    – whatever that is for you.