de + caedere
Did you know that the word “decision” originates from Latin as “cutting off” (de-caedere)?
The action of deciding is in fact removing something to proceed with another.
Have you ever laid out what clothes you would wear a day or evening in advance? For the few times I have done this, I have experienced a sense of relief with not having to think about clothing that morning.
What if you had this kind of focus and action for things you need to pay attention to and decide on?
In my proposal to consider an Untouchable Day I stated that: Attention without Intention is aimless.
Now consider the following:
Intention without Attention is powerless!
Many people start their day addressing emails, voicemails, their kids’ needs, etc. and it easily consumes their day.
If you started your day or better yet the night before with: “What am I going to focus on today/tomorrow that ties back to my goals or current priorities?” would your “to do list” and “what you address first”, change?
By making this decision in advance, similar to laying out your clothes, you help your FUTURE SELF, and you will be in a much better place to act on YOUR focus.
Serve yourself first!
You have goals which are your intentions. If you do not place attention towards them, time will slip away and then those goals just remain dreams!
When you make a commitment to yourself and you follow through with actions towards your focus that is personal integrity.
If you get up and decide to actually wear the clothes you set out for yourself, it’s a win. As silly as it may sound, you have followed through on YOUR commitment and saved mental energy.
Each day is a blank slate for you to take action.
What are the little things you can do in advance so that things can be easier for your future self to put attention and priority on?
Here are two options for building personal integrity:
1) Each evening email or write yourself the following: Tomorrow I will focus on……
OR
2) Each morning write in your journal or a post-it: TODAY I WILL FOCUS ON….
I am certain that your attention to your priorities will change. Your future self will not only have personal integrity, it will have met your INTENTIONS….
Have a great weekend,
When it comes to our actions, disorder and distraction are death. Ryan Holiday