Why you have to put it in writing

I don't know about you, but I've got a pretty good memory.  Unfortunately, not everyone remembers things in the same way, or with the same terms.  We all know how vital it is to sign contracts for rentals, jobs, agreements, etc.  If it isn't in writing, it didn't happen, right?

So why is it that we make deals with ourselves all the time that we don't put into writing.  What did you tell yourself you were going to do this week?

"I'm going to eat healthy.  I'm going to see 3 shows.  I'm going to submit to 12 auditions.  I'm going to follow up with a potential investor.  I'm going to call my Grandma on her birthday.  I'm going to get 7 hours of sleep a night.  I'm going to write 4 blog posts."

Whatever it is that you put on your plate this week, I bet you didn't do it if you didn't put it in writing.  Putting menial, yet necessary tasks into your calendar and on a to-do list will skyrocket the likelihood that you get it done.  We're busy people, and if we don't build our priorities into our schedules we'll find something else to do, and before you know it, it's Sunday night and you've accomplished nothing you intended to accomplish.

(this photo from Bramanga.com totally makes you want an android, no?)

Turn,

I'm going to eat healthy into, I will purchase healthy items at the grocery store on Sunday at 3pm to prepare meals throughout the week.

I'm going to see 3 shows to, I'm seeing X on Tuesday at 7, Y on Thursday at 8, and Z at 2 on Saturday.

I'm going to submit to 12 auditions to 15 minutes every morning to browsing auditions and submitting (put it in your calendar, make it an alert on your alarm clock)

I'm going to follow up with a potential investor by calling her on Monday during my lunch break.

I'm going to call Grandma at 4pm on Tuesday.

I'm going to sleep 7 hours, Set a bedtime alarm and a morning alarm on your cell phone.  Lock it.

I'm going to write 4 blog posts to I'll submit my posts on Mon-Thurs at noon.

If you're anything like me, you'll see this and think, "I can't live my life so structured!  Things come up, I want to have room to be spontaneous!  I don't keep a calendar."  But I promise you, if you start scheduling your priorities, not only will you accomplish more, you'll find more time in your life.  More time= more opportunity to be unstructured and spontaneous.  Get the things you need to do out of the way by structuring them, and you open up the rest of your life to do whatever you want.