There is an old and rather fanciful story about J.P. Morgan.
It is said that a man approached Morgan with an envelope which contained a guaranteed formula for success. The man said he’d sell the formula to Morgan for $25,000.
Morgan gave his word that if he liked what he saw, he’d pay the man.
When Morgan opened the envelope, he took out a single piece of paper, spent a short moment reading its contents, and promptly paid.
Two things were written on the piece of paper:
- Every morning, write a list of the things that need to be done that day.
- Do them.
Regardless of whether this story is true or not, it’s a helpful reminder that it is often the simple tactics that 1) help us clarify what’s important, and 2) ensure we only focus our energy on things that bring us closer to our goal.