To-Do & To-Be List
When it helps
When you know exactly what you want to achieve, but your intentions keep falling through. This method adds a crucial layer to your classic task list: the question of your inner attitude. Because plans often don't fail at the 'what', but at the 'how'. Here you learn to connect doing and being in a way that gives your goals a genuine foundation.
How to practice
- Define the goal: Choose an intention that truly matters to you (e.g., more calm in everyday life, a professional project, or physical fitness).
- The to-do level (action): Write down the concrete, practical steps this goal requires. What exactly do you need to do?
- The to-be level (attitude): Now ask yourself honestly: Who do I need to be to follow these steps consistently and willingly? What qualities do I need – for example patience, courage, integrity, or focus?
- Complete the list: Formulate three to five 'to-be points'. Understand them not as new pressure for self-improvement, but as a friendly reminder of the attitude that will carry you.
- Recognize the gap: Take a breath and look at both lists side by side. Do you notice a difference between your planned actions and your current inner state? This is exactly where your real growth begins.
- Regular check-in: Review both lists once a week. Does your behavior still align with your goals? And more importantly: does your daily life reflect the attitude you've set for yourself?
- Your impulse for today: Choose a task for this afternoon. Ask yourself not only 'What am I getting done?' but also: 'Who do I want to be while doing it?' (e.g., calm, focused, or present).
Note: Change happens from the inside out. When you start being the person who already embodies your goal, the actions often follow quite naturally and with much less effort.