Page 112 - 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself

could remember in his life that he was proud of. He keeps the list in his

briefcase, and says he often reads through it when he’s feeling down. “By seeing
all those things written down, and letting myself read them one at a time, I can
change my entire attitude from being discouraged to feeling positive about
myself,” he says.

Writing lists of goals and objectives is also a powerful self-motivator. It’s
one thing to go into a meeting mentally briefed on what you want to accomplish,
but you’ll feel even stronger having written it out. There is something about
writing something down that makes it more real to the right side of your brain.

My friend Fred Knipe sometimes travels to Phoenix to spend a day talking
with me. We’ve been close friends since college and share an unorthodox sense
of humor. Our meetings together are anything but structured. We free-associate
and talk about everything under the sun. He’ll often arrive with a list.

In the days prior to our meeting, he’ll jot down subjects he wants to be sure
he remembers to talk to me about while we are together. And it’s because our
conversations are so free-form that the list is valuable for him. He doesn’t ever
have to call me back the next day and try to discuss something over the phone
that would have been much better discussed in person.

If you’ve ever tried grocery shopping for a large event without a shopping
list, you are aware of the nightmare it can be. Most people have learned not to

shop that way. I’ve learned by hard experience that it can mean additional trips
to the store to pick up forgotten items.

Why is it that people don’t apply that same principle to their lives? Most
people take more time planning a picnic than they do planning a life. Because
they know that if they don’t make a list and forget the hot dog buns as a result,
they are going to be called an idiot by someone.

Start by listing all the things you would like to do before you die. Keep the
list somewhere handy, where you can look at it and add to it. Then list the people
in your life you want to remain close to and stay in touch with. Friendship is so
precious, why let it be forgotten? It sounds silly to make a list of your friends,
but you’ll be surprised at how it reminds you who’s important and motivates you

to stay in touch.

My friend Terry Hill, the writer, is one of the greatest list-makers of all time.
He has a list of every book he has ever read, every poem he’s read, and many
more things I don’t even know about. It gives his life a sense of history, depth,