Checkmarks

It feels good to check off the items on the list. The more checkmarks, the more progress. I mean, that's what it is all about, right?  But days go by, then weeks, then months, then years and you ask yourself, "Why?" What is the reason for the flurry of activity, for all of the checkmarks?

I just had a revelation recently about checkmarks - quite literally. It started when I lined up all of my tasks in the OneNote app in the Microsoft Office Suite. I love OneNote. It feels so organized and I can see progress when I click the box and a checkmark appears. Yet I could feel myself getting pulled into a flurry of activity and organized chaos that was leading me down so far into the weeds that I lost sight of why I do the work that I do in the first place. Awareness is a good thing. So is the choice to move forward differently. I still make checkmarks in boxes, but now I ask myself, "What does this progress mean and how can I relish the experience even more?"

So I ask you, "What's the purpose beyond your checkmarks?" Taking action is great. Making progress is even better. But what is the greater purpose to the work that you do? Did you make someone's day with a smile? Did you recognize someone with a compliment? Did you serve a customer in a way that lit up their face? Did you make someone's job easier for them?

Think about it...