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Value add questions

Empty planner
Empty planner

Continuing the series on business lessons in life, adapt the Ivy Lee list concept to be broader, and at the start of each day ask the following to devote time and attention to the right aspects of life:

  • What is your hope?
  • What is the risk?
  • What is your approach (taking into account what is hoped and risked)?

One could add:

  • What skill or behaviour am I going to practice on purpose today?
  • Who needs more support from me right now?

Then at the end of the day, expanding on Epictetus’ questions, a review should encompass:

  • What did I do right? Where did I act like the person I want to become?
  • What did I do wrong? How did I handle any mistakes?
  • What else could I have done?
  • What gave or took energy?
  • What did I learn about myself?
  • Have I thanked the right people?
  • If I stayed on this path for 20 years, what world would it help create?

To guide the answers to these questions, during each day take note of where progress is made or faltered for each domain considered important. Maintain a list of values to exemplify and activities inherently valuable, and each will accumulate ticks, crosses or comments, as per Franklin’s method.