I have always LOVED to-do lists. When I was in Kindergarten, I asked Santa Claus for office supplies. Setting goals, making a plan to achieve those goals, and then checking items off a to-do list is the way that I have approached projects for years.
As a senior in college, I had a very specific goal for what I wanted to do career wise. After creating the perfect to-do list, I began checking tasks off of the list to secure my dream job. Craft a compelling resume: check! Meet with Career Services: check! Setup interviews: check! And after a few months, the plan was complete.
Fast forward to a few years later and the “dream job” was not all that I had hoped for after all. But how could this be possible? All of my to-dos had been completed. It was a difficult realization that even when things go “according to plan,” sometimes you are not happy. Plans have to remain flexible.
So I made a change, that by most measures was not terribly drastic, but for me it was literally uncharted. I resigned from my job without definitive direction on what I was going to do next. I was open-minded and considered several different possibilities. Through this process, I learned that sometimes it is best to not have a set, rigid plan. I explored opportunities and embraced the unmapped. As a result, I have a job that was not even on my radar five years ago, but has exceeded all of my expectations. I look forward to coming to work every day and being a part of such a dynamic community. I know I am in the perfect place at Trinity. To-do lists and plans can be wonderful, but it is just as important to remain open to the unexpected and unplanned opportunities.
Learner, Thinker, Writer: Lane Yates is the Advancement Associate at Trinity School.
Lane, your post reminds me of one of my favorite country songs “Unanswered Prayers” by Garth Brooks. (Yes this NYC girl loves country!) But I’ve learned that sometimes I have to step aside and let the unmapped, unplanned nature of life take over. As Matthew Broderick said in Ferris Bueller, ‘life is what happens when we are making other plans.’
Lane,
You sound so much like me! It does take a leap to let go and do something that is “not on the list”…..which is how I ended up here….both times! Thanks for the post.
I also love to-do lists, and I am always happy to go shopping for office/school/art supplies. One of the best feelings is marking off your to-do list with a brand new pen.
Wonderful post, Lane. I’m glad you were so successful at finding a new way when so many other people aren’t even looking, or are too scared to do so.
Lane, I wrestle with “to-do lists,” for they are highly effective for me, keeping me focused and feeling productive. Yet they can limit my work to something that can be written on a line of paper. Generally, the work that makes me most gratified is the work that doesn’t fit on a pad of paper.
Lane, I love this post! I’m addicted to my to-do list, and I’m really not sure if I could live without it. Much like you, I also had a very different checklist/plan for my life and would have never seen myself where I am today, but I love it! Admittedly, though, I still struggle with the concept of remaining “open to the unexpected and unplanned opportunities.” Baby steps, I guess. 🙂
Lane,
Ah, to see you now,a writer of record no less, brings a happy smile to the face of your former English teacher, who ended up as your teacher by just such “unplanned” blessings—my husband’s unemployment and subsequent new job.
Write on!