My mother dripped out various bits of advice when I was growing up. One thing she used to say was:
“Do the worst first. Save the best for last.”
When tackling a list of tasks, her advice was to work on the big, gnarly one first, aka “eat the frog,” and get it out of the way. Then reward yourself with lighter, more enjoyable tasks.
It’s common productivity advice that seems to make sense. Except for one thing:
It assumes that doing the task you dread causes you to feel dreadful, and that simply isn’t true.
Because there’s a hidden link between doing the thing and how you feel while doing it.
It’s easy to miss because it’s almost invisible, but once you catch on, you’re utterly free.
By way of an explanation, try on this thought experiment out with me – whether you think you know this already or it sounds bonkers.
#1 – Bring to mind a task you’re not looking forward to doing.
Got it? Notice what you feel in your body. Let yourself become aware of any thoughts you might be having.
It probably feels icky just thinking about it, doesn’t it?
(Hint, hint.)
#2 – Now let it go. Get up and shake it off with a little dance, if you like. (I would. In fact, I’m taking a goofy-wiggle break right now in the middle of writing.)
Loving those moves. 😉
#3 – Now bring to mind something you’re really looking forward to doing.
Oooh, yes. Close your eyes and imagine how good it’s going to feel. Really let yourself indulge in it for a moment.
You don’t have to shake that one off unless you want to, there’s always room for a dance break in my world, but I invite you to notice something.
You just created the feeling of dread (in step #1) and the feeling of enjoyment (in step #3) without doing anything at all. Except…thinking.
Even if you’re one of those people who thinks it’s dumb to stop and do thought experiments (with dance breaks) in the middle of reading an email…you created that, too.
It had nothing to do with the tasks and everything to do with what you were thinking.
What you think, you feel. 100% of the time.
Nothing in the outside world ever causes your feelings, even though it really seems like it! Only what’s happening inside your gorgeous little head can do that.
Now what does this have to do with my mother’s well-intended advice?
Well, there’s no reason for me to start with the “worst” and save the “best,” because those tasks don’t inherently feel like anything.
So now how do you proceed?
You can still choose to do the task you think is dreadful first (note the emphasis on think) and get it out of the way, if you want to.
But if you couldn’t think anything while you did that task, and your mind was just blank, it wouldn’t feel bad now, would it?
You can even give that a try later and see what you notice. (Highly recommended and you’ll earn five stars inlaid with dragon fire for testing it out.)
🔥⭐🔥⭐🔥⭐🔥⭐🔥⭐
So here’s my suggestion about how to “prioritize” the stuff on your list today:
Do what you want to do.
Do what you know to do.
(They might even be the same thing.)
Doing what you actually want to do has a gorgeous energy to it. Starting your day there amplifies your creative energy to overflow, adding enjoyment to anything else you choose to do.
And if you know to do something today that doesn’t seem particularly joyful, you’re never stuck with the feeling. You can do it and watch yourself create the discomfort.
Or you might take a moment to see what happens if you get curious. Can you enjoy it? What if you did?
The most reliable guides for the creation of your most awesome, amazing, glorious life are Desire (what you want to do) and Knowing (what you know to do.)
That’s all you need.
And if you’re interested in an experiment in what it might be like to create your whole life around what you actually want and what you know…
I have ONE spot left for a DragonHeart Portal Conversation.
Is it yours?
Book your DragonHeart Portal Conversation here.
Yours in love and play,
Steph
If you enjoyed this article, join my daily Wildspire emails list here for more playful and provocative musings on business, being gloriously human and changing the world.
