Take a 50,000 ft View of Your Own Life
Getting clarity about your purpose is what David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) will provide. He calls it a 50,000 foot view of your life. But having a goal is not enough. As James Clear says in Atomic Habits-(AH); We will fall to the level of our systems. So breaking big projects into small pieces only will work if the combined effect of those small pieces accumulate over time, which means commitment. We are back to where we started. Sort of like a while loop;
∑𝑖∈𝑆𝑓(𝑖)
This is why my version of Getting Things Done, starts with prayer. I call it growing towards divinity (gtd). I already have a regular prayer/meditation/clearing my mind practice but it is a system that has evolved over many decades. I refer to it in small caps because it is like that- quiet and unpretentious. My alarm goes off at 4:30 am which means my system requires that I go to bed by 9:00. The most comfortable chair in my house is in my bedroom. Next to it, a table with all of my implements: candle, matches, earphones (for when I use a guided meditation on my phone), my good Levenger paper and my favorite fountain pen.
I have found many answers in the early morning darkness. There, I confront any and all challenges in my life from the mundane to the monumental. I will write about it, talk to God about it and then listen until I sense peace. I’ve used this method to make decisions about my career, when seeking clarity about relationships or when faced with health challenges. It has never failed me.
I understand that not everyone is the religious type, no worry- Your gtd- could be Getting To your Destiny. Either way, its about knowing that while your life’s calling may encompass your job, your life’s purpose is bigger than your job.
The way my brain works, I’ve broken this down into a kind of formula- the success of my personal productivity system is in proportion to my spiritual guidance system and a function of my daily (atomic) habits.
Maybe someday, when I’m bored in retirement, I’ll test this equation for you. In the meantime while you wait, take a 50,000 ft view of your own life. Someone who speaks and writes a lot about this is Simon Sinek. – What is your Why?
Simon says and I can confirm that once your purpose or your WHY is clear (your gtd) even a mundane job gets easier. I believe it will be easier to begin and follow through with the practice of GTD once you know your gtd.
Just give it some thought today. How about for 15 minutes.
