Organization changes everything and improvement is often unmeasured, it can’t be seen. That means it’s how I feel about my progress and the feeling is often worthless. Bear with me as I lean into aphorisms, and truisms to emphasize my point. The first one and we all know it, “What doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get done.” This phrase is about creating accountability.
External and Internal Accountability
Creating accountability on an external level and an internal level. We become transparent to our employer or superior. Being accountable to a superior is much easier than being accountable to self. How many times have you said, “That’ll do,” and let something slide that you would not let slide for your employer?
Look at it this way, you get out of bed five days a week to get to work on time, but you sleep in on the weekends. This is not to say you shouldn’t indulge yourself on occasion. It is to point out you are likely to be more accountable to others, than yourself. You are not the driver of your life.
Feelings Are Not Measurable
Just having a feeling about how you doing is not successful. We have bathroom scales to check our waistline. Products come in dimensions or weights. Weather measurements take on many forms. Every one of these forms of measure makes sense. These measurements are necessary and they are all external.
We are not as diligent at the measurements that are our own. The internal measurement. How many things do you eat daily without measurement?
Your improvements need anchoring in the discipline. One form of self-accountability is a review of your actions because self-organization changes everything.
The popular system of Get Things Done makes you take on a daily review of the process. This review process has accountability to self and others.
This principle goes from the business world to the spiritual world. The Daily Examen by the Jesuits is an organizational method as well. You can check out The Daily Examen here.
The Smead Company based out of Hastings Minnesota is built around organizational products and how to use those products.
We thirst for the organization. The popularity of Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizational consultant, is an example of the level at which we desire structure. She has an empire built around clarity of personal space.
We Sorely Want Organization
We desire organization. Organization removes chaos. With lower levels of chaos, we can perform better in our work and our personal lives. We have the opportunity for growth, change, and improvement. The most difficult of those changes is being accountable to one’s self by one’s self is the beginning of the order.
There is no one best way, there are structures and recommendations galore. It is about finding a system that will provide the methods of action for you. You can scour the web, asks friends, find a program that gets the job done for you. Keep in mind you goal and your understanding organization changes everything.
Remember no system will operate unless you commit to it. It is a machine and you are the driver.
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KRIS WILDER
Kris Wilder is a martial artist based in Seattle Washington. He has authored many martial art books, including the classic, The Way of Kata. Making no apologies for his obsession of Football he can be found telling any who will listen about the nuances of the Canadian Football League.