What Are You Willing to Sacrifice to Become Great?
Have you been struggling to complete your biggest goals?
Writing a “Like vs. Love” list may help.
This concept is a modified version of Warren Buffett’s “2-list strategy,” but I’ve found this version to be simpler and extremely effective.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Write a list of all of the things you enjoy doing. Aim for writing 40–50 things, or however many you can. This is your “like list.”
- Choose five things that you really LOVE to do and know will move the needle for you in life or work. This is your “love list.”
- Now, your goal is to stop doing the things on the “like list.” Instead, focus as much time and attention as possible on your “love list.”
Here’s a peek at a few of the things on my “like list”: binging Netflix shows, listening to podcasts, checking stats for my website and Medium, catching up with friends on Facebook, and watching sports.
I enjoy doing all of those things, and historically I’ve spent a fair amount of time on those activities. But those things ultimately serve as my biggest roadblocks to accomplishing my goals.
Why?
The most pernicious distractions are those that appeal to our sense of pleasure and entertainment. We’re impeded by activities that are not bad, per se. Our biggest enemy to accomplishing our goals is spending time on things that are fun, but will ultimately not move the needle.
What will move the needle for me? The five things on my “love list”: spending quality time with my wife, writing, reading, traveling, and having deep talks with friends.
These activities bring me true joy and also align with my life goals of being a better husband, friend, learner, and leader.
The items on your “love list” will be different than my list but equally important.
In order to make time for your “love list,” you need to axe your “like list.”
Setting Better Goals through the “Love List”
Once I shifted my perspective to focus on my LOVES rather than my LIKES, everything became more clear in my life.
Every January, I sit down to write my goals for the year. In the past, I listed dozens of disparate goals. Anything and everything I wanted to improve went on the list.
This year, I oriented my goals around my “love list.” Every single goal I wrote down pertained to one of my LOVES.
As I was writing my goals this year, I felt like a psychological burden had been removed because I no longer had to focus on doing fifty things. I could just focus on my top five things.
I’ve been able to knock one thing after another off the list because I now have clarity of focus.
“Extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus.” -Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
In order to accomplish your biggest goals, something has to give. You must sacrifice your “like list.” Only by making that sacrifice can you become your best self.
What enjoyable things are preventing you from accomplishing your biggest goals? What fun activities are your personal roadblocks?
In other words, what do you LIKE that is getting in the way of what you LOVE?
Today make a commitment to focus on your “love list.”
