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If you just change the word…

By April 29, 2010How To

I was leaving my friend Karol’s house the other day and she was showing me all of the work her husband’s done on their house and the projects that he’s currently working on.

As we walked out of the gallery he’s transforming into an office, she noticed the door wasn’t closing right. “I’ll have to put it on his to-finish list,” she told me.

“His what?”

“We realized that the things on his ‘to-do’ list never got done. But the ‘to-finish’ list? Things on that list always get done.”

Huh. Apparently, if you just pick the right word, magic happens. But you and I knew that already, didn’t we.

Image credit: I like

Join the discussion 7 Comments

  • Jim says:

    Great perspective. I have a “to-done” list, but I like the “to finish” better. Yeah, words sure do make a difference.

  • Great post, perfect example of the maxim (that I made up), ‘It’s not what you do, it’s what you call it’.
    Dag nabbit, am gonna git me a ‘to-finish’ list goin’ this mornin’!
    .-= The Napkin Dad´s last blog ..One Plays The Piano =-.

  • Aaron Pogue says:

    I love this. We build our world from words. Might as well build to suit.
    .-= Aaron Pogue´s last blog ..Why You Need a Professional Blog (Part 1) =-.

  • Liz says:

    This is great. Nice way to start the day, I’ll be keeping this in mind.

    Thank you!

  • Todd Jordan says:

    Finish vs Do. Yes. Why didn’t I think of that. :)
    Honestly it’s a good strategy when things must get done.
    I think of those as nice to haves vs must haves. :)

    Cheers,
    Todd
    .-= Todd Jordan´s last blog ..Creating Success – Quick Tips =-.

  • Leon Noone says:

    G’day Julie,
    Of course we all know that. But it’s useful to be reminded.”Friends, Romans, Countrymen sell me your ears” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

    In this age of egregious emailing and frantic texting it’s easy to forget that the prime purpose of communication isn’t to provide information. It’s to convey meaning.
    And, as I’ve said before, to make sure you have fun.

    Regards

    Leon

  • Ari Herzog says:

    Heh. I overhauled my email system earlier this year and created a “To Do” folder with the perspective being anything that was in my inbox before I fell asleep that I hadn’t archived or otherwise dealt with, I moved to the “To Do” folder.

    The idea was I’d go through that folder the next day and take care of it. Unfortunately, that’s around 200 items right now…so amid catching up and finishing the doing. ;)
    .-= Ari Herzog´s last blog ..Satisfying Saturday: 17 Blog Posts I Like in Google Reader =-.

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