In the world of Scott Logic, I’ve always fought my advice that said …
“When life is predictable, scripted, and process-oriented – BORING – life gets as excited as you ever dream it could be.”
As a guy who likes excitement in my day, you can see why I would prefer to ignore that wisdom—and I’m not alone. Still, I don’t miss it. I prioritize that way of thinking at all costs.
Let’s talk about that ‘scripted’ part of living.
While I love a good spontaneous day, I’ve learned that the more scripted and predictable my day, the less stress I have and the more I get done. All that means is that I know what I’ll be doing throughout the day, when I’ll be doing it, and what time I’m done for the day. Frankly, I can usually tell you what I’ll be doing weeks in advance. Maybe that’s why I never need to check my calendar when somebody asks me when I’m available for a meeting. I already know because everything is already in place.
Next, you should live a process-oriented life.
The best way to explain what I mean is to use goals as an example.
Most people set goals and focus on the outcome of achieving that goal. If it’s weight loss, your goal may be to lose 50 pounds. While that’s not bad, focusing exclusively on the end goal is a fast way to fall off the wagon after a single, out-of-control weekend. But there is a better way…
Instead of focusing on the goal of losing 50 pounds, it’s much easier to focus on the steps in the process that will get you there—watching what you eat, exercising, keeping yourself motivated, shopping for your future skinny jeans. The mindset is simple; as long you keep doing what’s working, you’ll get what you want. Simple.
A scripted life and a process-oriented life is a good life. Figure out what works and do it over and over again.