Doing more only makes a to-do list grow longer

If I do more things my to-do list gets longer, not shorter.

The more things I cross off the more opportunities open. The more ideas appear. The more people I connect with. All great things!

But it also means that I go wider. Not deeper.

I spread myself too thin. I try to do all the things. And when I try to do everything I end up doing nothing.

I end the day with a to-do list longer than when I started. I end the month with one that has somehow doubled in length.

And at the end of the year I struggle to understand what I actually accomplished.

That’s no way to live.

And it’s a great way to distract myself from focusing on the right things. From focusing on the things that bring me joy.

A to-do list isn’t a catch all. It’s not a list of tasks that could be done. It’s a ruthlessly prioritized list of tasks that must be done.

Each and every item on a to-do list must earn its spot. If a new one is to be added it must at least be better than the bottom item on the list.

Because if it isn’t, then why even bother doing it?