I am Daniel Whyte III, president of GLM Omnimedia Group, and this is Episode #82 of the “Get Things Done!” podcast. The simple purpose of this podcast is to help you get things done every day so that you can accomplish something worthwhile with your life. I am a firm believer that God has put each person on earth to do something great for His glory.
In this podcast, we are going through the book “Doing It Now” by Edwin C. Bliss. I had just finished speaking at a meeting in Philadelphia many years ago, and as I was walking through the airport, I picked up this little book and read it in its entirety. It is one of the best books that I have ever read on the subject of productivity, getting things done, and avoiding procrastination, and along with prayer and the power of God, it is one of the reasons why I have accomplished so much in my life. Today, I will continue sharing with you some of the principles that Edwin C. Bliss talks about in his book.
As we begin, let me give you this reminder from the Word of God. Proverbs 14:23 says: “In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.”
Our quote for today is from Pablo Picasso. He said: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”
Today, in the Get Things Done podcast we are looking at Part 8 of Step 11: “Manage Your Time.”
What other principles of time management are of particular significance?
I believe you will markedly enhance your effectiveness if you will try to steer clear of the following ten vices: floundering, wheelspinning, fire fighting, vacillating, dawdling, spraying, switching, acquiescing, rehashing, and perfecting. Avoid those errors and I guarantee you’ll gain enough time every day to do most of the things on your so-called “unavoidable procrastination” list.
Would you explain what you mean by each of those terms?
Okay, let’s start with “floundering.” By that I mean that many people fail to focus their efforts in a single direction. The reason usually is that they don’t have clear-cut goals in mind, so they don’t establish any momentum toward specific objectives. They are like a pilot flying without compass, radar, or landmarks. Result: wasted time and effort.
But that’s not very common, is it? Nearly everyone has goals. Most people have in the back of their minds a pretty good idea of what they want to accomplish. Why even mention anything so elementary?
Because a “pretty good idea” isn’t good enough and because “in the back of their minds” isn’t where those goals should be—they should be on paper.
When you reduce your goals to writing you crystallize your thoughts. Instead of a generality like “financial security,” you write down a net worth of a certain amount or a certain level of income; instead of a banal goal like “happiness,” you write down the specific things you want that would make you happy, such as a particular kind of work, or achieving a specific objective; instead of an all-encompassing but imprecise goal like “good health” you direct your efforts to specific targets, such as a weight loss of so many pounds, or getting your blood pressure to a certain level, or establishing a certain schedule for exercise.
Do your goal setting in writing. A pencil and a piece of paper are two of the most powerful tools of time management. Incidentally, I recommend making separate lists of life-time goals and short-range objectives.
Lord willing, we will continue this discussion in our next podcast.
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Now, let’s pray our prayer together —
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare Thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore Thou those who are penitent; According to Thy promises declared unto mankind In Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Now, the greatest secret to getting things done with your life for the glory of God is to have the Lord Jesus Christ in your life. When you have Jesus in your life, you can say with Paul in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, here’s how.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
God bless you, and remember: if you have something to do, there is no better time to do it than now.
BCNN1 WP 