Today's TQ

Daily Lessons in Intentional Excellence
Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Are You Writing This Down?

Write down each item that is a to-do item, no matter how small. Keep your lists in one easily found location i.e., one file or one book.

Your lists are your map. Refer to them often to see where you've been, where you are and where you're going.

Today's TQ Challenge: Minimize Mistakes by Following Checklists.

Choose to be THOROUGH! If you will increase your productivity by writing your to-do items down, why don't you?
Choose to be METHODICAL! How many To Do Lists are you currently keeping?
Choose to be CONSCIENTIOUS! Is today's To Do List complete, at hand, and prioritized?

Everybody makes mistakes. That's okay. But repeating the same kind of mistakes is not. Checklists are lifesavers when it comes to getting everything done correctly the first time. Ever gone camping without matches? Taken a sales order without turning it in? Held a meeting, but forgot to inform a key participant? Checklists are easy to create and simple to complete. Just make a list of all of the crucial elements that must be completed to be successful. Next, work your way down through the list -- item-by-item.

"Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well." ~ John W. Gardner

Think about it. How well and how often do you actually DO Organize Factor 8B?

"I minimize mistakes by following checklists for important and repeated procedures."

A high commitment (8B rated 8 or better) suggests you avoid last-minute surprises and rarely repeat the same mistake twice. While it takes a discipline to complete each checklist, you've learned that it can be the perfect tool to keep you away from embarrassing and costly situations. By using a checklist, you rarely reach an important event without having exactly what you need close at hand. This simple skill saves you time and steps on everything from closing complex business deals -- to throwing big dinner parties.

On the other hand...

A lack of commitment suggests you are someone who believes it's easier to just "wing it" than live your life by any list. You may think of yourself as a big-picture kind of person -- too creative to write down a list of the steps (and stuff) needed to complete important projects. Maybe you are a little over-confident because you routinely perform the task at hand -- so you don't feel the need to check a list before proceeding. But like a pilot who doesn't "bother" with a take-off check list -- sooner or later -- you crash and burn.

What happens when you CHOOSE to do Factor 8B a bit more frequently?

With a checklist in hand, you get it done right the first time -- every time. You accumulate performance positives like "Thorough, Methodical and Conscientious" -- immediately moving you towards the results you expect.

What happens when you FAIL to consistently do Factor 8B?

You can make huge, stupid mistakes when you don't follow short, simple checklists. Negatives like "Careless, Haphazard and Forgetful" start to take their toll on your performance -- quickly moving you away from the success you want.

Now Ask Yourself This...
Is Factor 8B Causing You Problems?

If you believe this factor is a key performance obstacle -- and that it's preventing you from realizing your personal dreams and goals -- then you need to improve it.

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