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Martin Gross

Solution seeker, building things, often in software.

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If you follow the ‘Getting Things Done’ approach you are aware of all the to do lists detailing all the actions. Actions you wrote down. Actions you are supposed to do to. Actions to complete your projects.

The problem with action based lists is what they don’t do. They just show you the action you should do.

When looking at these kind of list you don’t automatically start to think about:

  • What’s the outcome?
  • Is it really required?
  • Is it still required?
  • Is there another, smarter or faster way to do it?
  • Can you delegate it?
  • How could you save some time doing it in a different way?

At the end of the day, the outcome counts, not how you got there.

Focus on the outcome. It is better to write down a goal you want to achieve. Not how to do it. This will give you options to choose from. Options how to achieve that goal. It doesn’t force you execute an action but provides an opportunity to find creative solutions.

It let’s you find shortcuts instead of stupidly just doing something. And it motivates because you know what will be the outcome.