Duo

Why do we make to do lists? I, myself, am an organiser. If you know me, you cannot deny it. To do lists seem to be a coherent way of organising things that need to be done, things that should be done, and things that you want to do. Unfortunately it often feels that these lists lack the latter. People like me seem to base their lives on organisation, efficiency and accomplishment. A tick in the box yields a feeling of satisfaction and the achievement of goals is always accompanied by self-fulfillment. But is it possible that we place too much emphasis on goals and directions? That we fixate our focus too rigidly on the "what's" in life, rather than the "how's"? That is, what we do, rather than how we go about doing it? No one wants to reach the age of forty and realise they have wasted half their life, but sadly it happens. So instead, we make plans for ourselves, set ourselves goals, and make lists of things we want to do before we die. Essentially, however, is this not just another to do list? Another way of organising our lives so that we get things done? Of course it is. And there is nothing wrong with getting things done. But when our enjoyment is derived from ticking something off this "to do" list, rather than the thing itself, ultimately we are just shifting our focus from the "how" to the "what". We don't lose ourselves in the moment, we use the moment to create the self-satisfaction of ticking that box. Emotion becomes detached, and we, once again, enter this vicious lifestyle of existing, rather than living. It sometimes seems that we are so focussed on what we want to do in life, rather than how we do it, why we do it, and the people we meet along the way. If, like me, your life seems to be defined by ticking boxes, then simply tick this one.

Live.

Now go and enjoy yourself.