Cal Newport recently posted a picture of Churchill’s D-day list. As someone who digs history, particularly the World War era, it was fascinating! I wish I could’ve zoomed in and reviewed what was written, but that’s irrelevant. What’s important is to know that Churchill maintained a to-do list. Amidst a full-blown war!
And we’ve got folks in 2020 whining about “work-overload” or “task-overwhelm” — fancy words for “I’m not in the mood to work right now, perhaps later.” Yes, I get it; our circumstances and challenges are different from the World War era. But are they? Really?
I don’t think so.
The picture also made me realize how important was it for Churchill to have sight of the tasks at hand. The list is massive, as is expected from any leader at the time of a global crisis or battling a world war!
What’s important is that one has the clarity of the challenges that lie ahead instead of worrying if they would do it all. Because you probably won’t. And you might end up getting frustrated or overwhelmed (or both), but that’s what leading is all about — going through the motions while you face the fears and doing what’s necessary anyway.
Think of the humble to-do list as the map that helps you navigate through life’s complexities. It gives you clarity on your priorities and the actions that you will take to reach your destination.