A STORY ON BEING EFFECTIVE…
It was 1890, and there was a cocktail party in Pittsburgh. All the movers and shakers were there, including Andrew Carnegie (rich guy in America). He held court in a corner of the room, smoking a cigar.
He was introduced to Frederick Taylor, the man who was becoming famous as an expert on organising work. “Young man,” said Carnegie, squinting dubiously at the consultant, “if you can tell me something about management that is worth hearing, I will send you a cheque for ten thousand dollars.”
Now, ten thousand dollars was a great deal of money in 1890. Conversation stopped as the people nearby turned to hear what Taylor would say.
“Mr. Carnegie,” Taylor said, “I would advise you to make a list of the ten most important things you can do. And then, start doing number one.”
And, the story goes, a week later Taylor received a cheque for ten thousand dollars.
Taken seriously, Taylor’s injunction was not to simply make a list of important issues. It was not to simply make a list of things to do. Nor was it to make a list of what might be important.
Taylor’s assignment was to think through the intersection between what was important and what was actionable. Carnegie paid out because Taylor’s list-making exercise forced him to reflect upon his more fundamental purposes and, in turn, to devise ways of advancing them.
Making a list is a basic tool for overcoming our own cognitive limitations. The list itself counters forgetfulness. The act of making a list forces us to reflect on the relative urgency and importance of issues. It’s a list of “things to do” – not a list of “things to worry about”.
Put energy into things you can do!

Personal Space
- Clean your house
- Clean your car – inside and out and get it serviced
- Free yourself of everything you don’t use, haven’t used in 6 months or which is out of date. (Give it away, drop it off to a charity shop or sell it)
Your Work Environment
- Clean your work space
- Throw away unused materials and any unneeded papers. File all papers you don’t throw away
- Organise all your papers. Keep and file all business receipts. File and throw away any unused papers.
Clean out all filing cabinets. Throw away unused materials. File any past tax or business returns - Get your bank account balanced. Get all financial statements (profit and loss account and balance sheet) up to date. Keep them up to date by a calendar reminder
Your Stuff
- Make a list of everyone who has borrowed things
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Write or call and ask for the item back or cross the person off the list and decide it’s a gift and complete

Your Finances
- Pay all your bills or make arrangements and or agreements as to when you will pay them. Keep those agreements
- Make a list of everyone who owes you money
- Write or call and ask for the money or cross the person off the list and decide it’s a gift and complete
Your Projects
- Make a list of all the things you have started but not completed. Complete the list or cross it off and decide not to do it
- Make a list of all the things which have been going on a long time, but you have just not completed. Complete the list or cross it off and decide not to do it
Your Commitments
- Make a list of all the agreements you’ve made. Fulfil all past agreements. Renegotiate and make new agreements with any that you can’t fulfil
- Agree only to what you know you can fulfil. Never commit to more than you know you can do
Your Energy
- Put things that give you energy in your diary first