Checklisting at the Start of the Day.

Eighty percent of the time, I prepare the day and have absolutely no idea what is the single most important thing I should do that day. 

I only spot this when I review the weeks afterward. In the moment it feels like I am doing the most important thing. But because there is no disciplined process of inquiring, deciding, and applying the most important thing, often I miss the mark. And by "often", I mean "mostly". 

With that in mind, I developed a checklist that provides a disciplined approach to preparing the day. The ideal result should be a feeling of simplicity and clarity, as well as distinctly better quality outcomes in daily and weekly life. To try it you will need a scratch pad, a pen, and a written list of goals.

Here it is, then: the checklist for planning the day.

1. Get out a scratch-pad (about the size of your palm) and pen.
2. Get out your written list of goals and written definite major purpose. 
3. Ask "Whats the one thing I could do today, such that by doing it, everything else because easier or unnecessary? Write the answer in your scratch-pad, without judgment about how good or bad it is.
4. Read your definite major purpose, aloud, to yourself. Write down up to three results you notice related to that purpose.
5. Read every single goal and write up to three results related to that purpose.
6. Double your numerical estimate of the results possible. Think big. 
7. Prioritize: Put an "IMP" to important ones.
8. Prioritize: Put an "URG" to urgent ones.
9. Prioritize: Top 20% gets one star "*"
10 Prioritize: Top 4% gets two stars "**"
11. Prioritize: Top 1% gets three stars "***"
12. Down the reverse side of the scratch pad write: Who, What, Where, When, How, Next Action.