Ditch Your To-Do List and Use These Docs To Make More Impact

At the end of the day, the only thing that actually matters is the impact our work has on our company, our customers, our colleagues, and our professional development. And the only way to stay on top of that is to hold ourselves accountable to our higher-order goals with as much enthusiasm as we have for the dopamine rush of reaching inbox zero.

The best leaders and operators I know are as good upholding the 30,000-foot perspective as they are getting the 3-inch-level work done. The tug-of-war between the two is real, but it’s manageable — with the right processes in place to help maintain focus.

So, here are the docs I’ve honed in on over the years that help me do that. Having this collection of personal templates in place helps me stay more focused, balanced, self-aware, context-aware, and in-control of my workflow on a daily basis. They’ve also helped me make real, sustained, progress towards my broader goals on that longer-term horizon. And I’m not only talking about internalizing and supporting my company’s goals. I’m talking about understanding and acting on my own career goals, too.

I’ve broken them down into categories to give you a better sense of which one to use when, along with some voiceover on how they all fit together. Throughout, I’ve included specific examples from my own career as well as template docs for you to copy and put your own spin on. As you’ll see, they are designed primarily for personal use, but I share bits and pieces with others if and when it makes sense.

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