“Between saying and doing one often wears out a good pair of shoes.” Dutch Proverb
When all is said and done, more is said than done. Our pronouncements often exceed our resolve. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t admit to procrastinating. And occasionally, strategically, that’s a good thing. But when occasional dilly-dallying hardens into habit, watch out. Even if you claim your work ethic would put a Puritan to shame, doing doesn’t become done by proclamation. Get comfortable with wearing out your shoes.
But distinguish between what needs doing and what can (or should) be left undone. Overly aspirational to-do lists are accomplishment cloggers. They defeat us before we begin.
From Peter Drucker, the father of management thinking, “I have yet to see an executive, regardless of rank or station, who could not consign something like a quarter of the demands on his time to the wastepaper basket without anybody’s noticing their disappearance.” He continues, “It’s worth periodically setting aside some time to look at your to-do list or your tasks and commitments to see which of them you can intentionally abandon to make your life easier.” And finally, “Effectiveness is simply defined as doing the right things well.”
I began the Age of Corona with a list of things that I (mostly) have intentionally abandoned. It has made life easier. No one other than me would notice their disappearance- whether by completion or abandonment. I haven’t totally degenerated, but I have lowered my standards. Attempting to keep up with the Puritans is a fool’s errand.
About “mostly”… From TRY? (July 15, 2020) “The road to hell is paved with good intentions. But I’m counting on this black tiled lane leading me elsewhere. I’m swimming to a friend’s farm fifty miles from my house for a roundtrip of 100. I’m on the way home and on pace to “do” by summer’s end. I’ll let you know if I tried or did.”
I did! Regrettably, it looks like there will be plenty of time for me to consider another way to wear out a good pair of shoes.