The "Yes List:" The Key to Living on Purpose

You don't have to let yourself be terrorized by other people's expectations of you. Sue Thoele

One must live the way one thinks or end up thinking the way one has lived. Paul Bourget

The more time you spend doing what is important to you the quicker the unimportant things drift away. Leanna Fredrich
Thinking it Through...

One of the keys to living a life of purpose is to know what your "Yes List" is . A "Yes List" is simply a list of your top priorities. The brain can handle only 7 goals at a time so choose a maximum of seven priorities for your life. Make sure YOU, your self-care, is one of those seven items. So often I see client's who quickly begin writing their priorities and leave themselves right off the list. The fact is if you don't take excellent care of yourself then you might as well throw out all the other items on the list because you won't have the energy, health or creativity to do them well.

Write your 7 Priorities down on index cards or where you will see them often so you can check in frequently. Now, when someone asks you to do something that is not on your "Yes List" it is time to cultivate the fine art of saying "no".
I recently asked a client about her "Yes List". One of the items she wrote down first was to start the business she always dreamed of. I asked her when she last spent time working on her business. Well, that questions stumped her. She had to think and think before she hesitantly answered that it was about 4 months ago. Four months since she has devoted any time at all to one of her top priorities! Unfortunately, she is not alone. That is why it is critical to be clear on your priorities and divide your time up accordingly. Put yourself back in the driver's seat of your life. .

Challenge:

1. What are the seven items on your "Yes List?"

2. Are they really your priorities or are you listing what you think they "should" be?

3. How much of your week are you spending on your "Yes List?"

4. What do you need to say "no" to so you have more time for the things that are important to you?