Organize Tomorrow Today: 8 Ways to Retrain Your Mind to Optimize Performance at Work and in Life by Dr. Jason Selk

“A good plan violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” George S. Patton

As pitched on the back cover of this book, is the idea that success is spawned out of having and maintaining effective habits rather than innate talents. When I think on this and ponder what this truly means, I feel refreshed.

Isn’t it great to know that we can all create our own successful lives by simply adopting effective habits? Well perhaps not always so simple but certainly achievable none the less.

In this book the authors discuss the idea of planning or organizing tomorrow, today. Again simple in thought and theory yet to put into practice is challenging and certainly something I must improve on myself. Yet the benefits can and will be significant.

Not one of us can be more efficient, as only machines and things can really possess this trait, humans cannot. We can however be more effective. Now by being effective what we really intend to do is have success in reaching a certain outcome or desired results.

We also when we start being more effective in all that we do seem to get things done in a timelier manner and the results seem to improve. Effectiveness only occurs however if two things are in place, firstly the appropriate plan and secondly the correct intention.

Well in saying that good habits also lead us to greater levels of effectiveness and I believe planning is one of those habits.

So what can this book teach you? Here are my take-outs but have a read and see what you come up with.

Firstly is that by planning tomorrow today you will without doubt start the day of with a much clearer purpose and intention. This allows things to flow more smoothly and you will avoid becoming frustrated or lost in all that a typical day may throw at you.

You may choose to plan that morning, certainly a habit I am trying to now break, but even with this approach the tasks of the day may immediately overwhelm you before you even get a chance to plan. This is why planning the day ahead is beneficial.

By planning the day ahead of time you seem to become more relaxed in the evening, which is greater for rest as you no longer cloud your head, spiralling in circles with all those things you must do tomorrow. When it’s in a plan on paper, its out of mind. This will be better for your sanity, better for your family and home life, and will allow you to rest easier.

However the greatest discovery is that the plan you have made seems to work behind the scenes in your subconsciousness. It no longer sits in your consciousness cluttering your night-time relaxation but goes to work for you without knowing. When you awake the plan for the day almost seems effortless to tackle.

The other idea from the book that I love is to really avoid over planning. By this don’t overwhelm yourself with too much. Everything is possible other than the impossible. When you crowd your day with do many tasks you clutter your plan, clutter your outlook and become less effective. Try creating 2 or 3 must to tasks or projects.

So when you start the day you know you have 3 very important goals and with the correct discipline, intention and action you will be able to knock them over, and knock them over before anything else. When you do this all those other little tasks will be easier to bowl over.

Selk and Bartow however narrow it down further and suggest out of those few projects pick just that one thing. What is the one thing that if done you will feel like the day was a success.

In doing this, even if you only get that one most important thing done, you will be content with yourself that you achieved with what you set out to and you will have a successful day. You can then plan for the next day with a vision of completing that next one thing.

There are a few other great learning’s from this book and I highly recommend reading it. But on a final note I really appreciate the thought of focusing on what you can control. This is not only great for your day ahead but for life in general. So often to we get wound up in all these outside matters that we are without any control and they really eat away at how effective we can be.

Focus only on what you can control, this is a sure way to becoming more effective and certainly a great way of creating more peace, harmony and happiness in life.

When you plan ahead of time for the next day your intention will be clearer and your purpose greater, you will be more effective and gain more success. You can use these same principles for planning the month, quarter, year of even you life.

If this book sounds of interest you can purchase Organize Tomorrow Today: 8 Ways to Retrain Your Mind to Optimize Performance at Work and in Life here.

Please leave your thoughts, comments & questions below.

Peace, passion and purpose…

Other books by Jason Selk