Organize, Reduce and Refine What You Have Now

There is an old saying that “Wherever you go, there you are.” The problems that we face in our lives, are often woven into the deepest fabric of our lives. Into the intrinsic nature of our being, of what we are.

In all theatres of life, the problems and obstacles of that theatre are built into the existing architecture. To solve these problems, we need to look at what we already have — because that is where they exist. It is tempting to try to continue moving forwards. But motion can seem like progress, even when it is not necessarily the case. Some problems will only be exacerbated by more, and so corrupt whatever else we accumulate, like a virus, if we add more to a rotten structure.

Organize What You Have Now

I have found (through endless mistakes) that often what we need, is simply to clean and organize what we have at the moment — whatever it is.

This is often the hardest thing. (For me, at least.) So much focus, and peace of mind can be gained simply by taking control in whatever capacity that we have to do so.

The first step in any project is to Clean The Slate. In the realm of Getting Things Done, this means to Finish Your Ongoing Projects. In order to devote ourselves to new projects, we have to bring what we have already done to some kind of resolution. In Learning, this means to Finish Outstanding Learning Projects.

Obviously, we should ideally have our daily habits of control down — training habit, work habit, … Yet when we are in the midst of falling, all that we need to do is grasp on to at least one of those (repeated on a daily basis) to arrest our fall.

Reduce & Refine

The first stage of placing our attention onto any complex problem, is to try and understand it, which is often done by reducing and refining the data. When you are writing an article, after the initial inspiration has burned through the pages of your first draft, you generally go back over that draft. Thinking, pondering, imagining, and planning.

You reduce what you have to its essential (and best) parts. You then clean up, organize, and refine those parts. This is essentially what the Editing Process is all about. This is the exact same process that applies to Organizing Your Room, Organizing You Office, Organizing Your Home, Organizing Your Research, and Organizing Your Musical Composition or Organizing Your Art Piece.

Regardless of what we do, the pathway is the same in its objective principles. Exactly how you get from point A to B might be different every time (after all, writing a book, article, or song will be different every time. For whatever reason, no two are truly the same.)

Organize

Plan

Allow your reduction, refinement, and organization to organically crystallize in a plan of action. If what you are Organizing, Reducing, and Refining is emotional and mental, then maybe this plan of action will manifest itself creatively. If what you are working on at the moment is related to business, career, or education, then your plan might be significantly more literal.

I have applied this process for years in every endeavour. Most recently, I have applied this extensively to Web Development, Computer Programming, Goals, and Writing A Book. In each of these areas, I had so much information — that can be reduced to Tasks — that overwhelmed me. It was only by placing my attention on it that I was able to resolve it.