Take out at least three pieces of paper and a pen or pencil. For this exercise, do not type on a keyboard.

Flow through the Decision Frame.

  1. COULD DO. Write this across the first page. Work beyond lines and limitations. Draw, emphasize, underline—build a list of every action, task, project, or endeavor that could receive your energy. Pause, breathe, and add a few spontaneous thoughts.
  2. SHOULD DO. Write this across the second page. Eliminate the temptations associated with avoiding important work, shirking responsibility, or postponing a difficult conversation. Record what you believe you should do—not what other people think you should do.
  3. WILL DO. Write this across the third page. Compare the first two lists, evaluate, and commit. The items that carry real importance and resonance should begin to reveal themselves.

Enjoy your newfound freedom and power.

You did the hard work: you thought, evaluated, and eliminated objectively. Now you are free to be effective, present, and engaged.