We resist tasks that we think we have to do. We resist because none of us wants to be told what to do. Yet we somehow feel obligated when others ask. As with anything we resist, wresting with these haftadoos wastes our time and drains our energy.
Of course, we are happiest and feel most productive when we work on our wantadoos. But what about all the things everyone else wants us to do? Can we be successful by only ever doing what we want to do?
Sure! We just need to do some choosing. Doing tasks that others have requested from us is fun, exciting, and rewarding–they become wantadoos—when we have chosen to do them.
Imagine every request from other people landing not on your haftado list but on your coulddo list. Put everything else that you might want to do on that coulddo list, too. When it’s time to select the next thing you’ll do, scan your coulddo list and pick the most compelling thing.
You’ll be surprised to see how many tasks requested by others you will end up choosing to do. And how great you’ll feel doing them.
In your corner,
Mike
Today’s photo credit: Trey Ratcliff cc