Be careful what you ask for.

I recently received another cosmic whap upside the head.

I’d been struggling to set up a new freestanding microphone I bought. I was so creative in coming up with different ways to put this task on my To Do list:

• play with mic
• email tech support
• try tech support’s suggestions
• email tech support…

You get the idea.

Nothing was working, and I was getting more than a little frustrated. I didn’t give up, since I know persistence is a prerequisite for success – but I changed my focus.

The next time I put on this task on my To Do list, I listed the result I really wanted: Get mic working.

And in about 10 minutes, I did.

Here’s the fascinating and powerful lesson I was reminded of:

It’s much easier to create the outcome you want when you’re crystal clear what that is and you’re committed to making it happen.

What’s been your experience? Are you wishing for good results rather than committing to them? Are you vague in stating your goals? Or do you know exactly what result you want and what you’re willing to do to get it?

Stumbling blocks are inevitable, so we get to continue developing strategies for dealing with them. If you’ve come up with one that works especially well for you, please share. There’s no such thing as “too many good tools for creating a successful life.”

And, if you’re huffing and puffing over your own challenging To Do list, here’s one of those tools: Your To Do List Is Not the Boss of You! Time Management Skills and Strategies That Will Work in YOUR Small Business. In less than an hour, you’ll find some gems that will put control of your day back where it belongs — in your hands.

(BTW, thanks to Bonnie Pierce for posting the image of Barbara O’Connor’s book cover in the Creative Commons section of Flickr.)

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