Be Specific

Details matter.

I’ve found that when I’m very specific about my objectives, the more likely I aim to accomplish them. Here’s a recent example.

I’ve had finalizing my itinerary for my trip to Switzerland on my list of things to work on for over 2 weeks and I haven’t touched it. It’s an enormous under taking in comparison to say building a workout, or writing up a meal idea. It involves research, looking back through photos and apps to piece together our trip and write about it. So instead of working on it, I’ve just kicked it to the side for about 2 weeks and just stared at my to do list: Switzerland Itinerary.

Today I decided I was actually going to work on it. I had enough of putting it off and I wanted to work on something different. I’d been putting a lot of work into everything but the itinerary, so I figured it would be a nice change of pace.

I started working on it as planned. I tried to get everything I had written up already organized. I had started a Scrivener file on it, and I had a bunch of notes stored in my phone, so I began by consolidating everything into the Scrivener file (something I always seem to do).

I created tabs for each leg of the trip (13 in total). Then I started pulling the information I had from my phone into its respective leg. Luzern details into the Luzern folder. Via Alpina: Stage 8 notes into the Via Alpina: Stage 8 folder. And so on.

After that, I went in, starting with Luzern (the first stop on our trip) and organized the notes.

Destination: Luzern

Days/Nights: 3

Restaurants:

Where We Stayed: 

So on and so on. 

Then I stopped, because I had this realization. Maybe if I had been more specific on my to do list I would have actually done some work on it.

To Do: Consolidate all of the trip notes into Scrivener and organize the details based on a set format.

How much more manageable does that sound versus, Switzerland Itinerary. That’s a big project. Whereas the former is a clearly defined plan. Something that sounds doable.

It was just one of those ah ha moments. Like wow I get it.

Anyway, I need to get back to consolidate all of the trip notes into Scrivener and organize the details based on a set format.

Thanks for listening.