photo credit: rachel_thecat

There are two ways to change your life.

One is to light a fire under yourself and launch yourself out of a cannon with radical change in an area.

The other is to slowly build momentum in a direction much like a wave swelling up as it crosses the ocean.

This tool is about building momentum and ensuring continual change.

Tool for Continual Change

Like all good tools, it is a simple one.

Take a sheet of paper and divide it into 3 columns.

Problem, Solution and Done

Have about 14 rows so you can use it for 2 weeks and then stick it on your wall.

At the end of the day or when you get home after a days work, sit down and stop for a few minutes.

Think about one thing that has been bothering you or just doesn’t feel right in your life. Write it down in the ‘Problem’ section.

It doesn’t have to be the biggest problem in the world. I’ve written things like:

• Progress is slowing learning Japanese
• Procrastinating about which project to start
• Don’t have a good consistent place to store ideas and tasks

That being said they can be life changing issues, some of my bigger ones were:

• What is my plan to decide if I want to live in Japan
• If freedom is so important to me, how does my study of Japanese fit in?

My point here is that you can put down anything that you feel like would be better if something changed about it.

Now walk away and do something else.

When you come back to the room have a look at the sheet of paper. If any ideas of how you could  make an improvement on a problem occurs then write them down in the ‘Solution’ section.

Take action on your solutions through whatever task organisation process you use.

At the end of every week put aside 30 minutes to review your problems and solutions. If any solutions are complete, tick the ‘Done’ section. If any problems don’t have a solution put a bit of thought into them or call a friend to discuss.

Do this everyday and at the end of a year you will look back and be amazed at all the positive changes in your life.

Key Actions

1. Print out a 3 column (Problem, Solution, Done) sheet and stick it on your wall.
2. At the end of each day, write down a new problem point that jumps to mind.
3. Periodically when you pass the sheet think of solutions to problems. Take Action.
4. At the end of the week review your sheet and see if you can fill in any missing solutions and mark off successful actions.