Get Everything Done

If I want to be honest with myself about why I do not want to do some tasks, then I have to admit: I am afraid of doing them. I tell myself and others I am just lazy, but honestly I am just terrified of failing, of being humiliated in front of others and, worst of all, myself.

Now I know that the systems found in this website (including those that I have made) try to circumvent that fear by using such mechanisms as "standing out", randomization, dismissal, and others, but, personally, although I am getting things done, it seems these systems do not tackle the main problem, which is the fear of doing hard things, precisely because they "circumvent" the problem with other mechanisms.

The evidence that points to this is how I jump from one system to another once the system has grown out of its novelty, when it becomes <hard> to use.

The real solution, it seems to me, is to build up the courage to confront the difficult tasks of life, while also having the wisdom to use it.

Hence, this thing that I have been trying, "Small Acts of Courage". It basically uses the CAF2 structure I have been using but the questions are changed.


1. Make a list of tasks. Close it with a horizontal line at the end. New tasks are added after this line.

2. Scan the whole list, asking yourself, "What is the thing you really want to do, but you are afraid of trying?" Mark the task that answers that question for you. You can also write a new task at the end of the list and mark it.

3. Scanning again the whole list, ask yourself, "What will help me build the courage to do that task?" Mark the tasks that answer this question. You can also write a new task at the end of the list and mark it.

4. Dismiss all of the tasks above the horizontal line if neither question marks any of them, then close the list at the end with a new horizontal line.

5. Do the marked tasks in any order you want. Rewrite unfinished or recurring tasks at the end of the list.

6. If it seems you do not have the courage to finish all marked tasks, even though you still want to do them, then mark more tasks using the question "What will help me build the courage to do that/those hard task/s?"

7. Once all marked tasks have been done, go back to step 2.


I will report back once in a while to tell you guys of the results of this "experiment" and answer any questions and comments.

Preliminary observations: During the very short time I have been using this, I was surprised that I have not been going to my fall back "pleasure" tasks such as read books or play games, but instead I have been doing more "productive" things such as chores and errands, unless I am tired.

Margaret1,

It took me some time to answer here because, first of all I became extraordinarily busy these past few weeks, and secondly because I was a bit unsure how to post the findings of my experiment with this method here.

First, to answer your questions: examples of tasks that answer the first question run the whole gamut, from something as simple as "get mail" (because I am too lazy to walk towards the apartment complex office) to something as grandiose (for me) as "go back to college". Likewise, those that answer the second question also are extremely varied, and you might be surprised at how effective doing your routine tasks as what you described like laundry and walking the dog are in giving you courage.

It could be that your willpower is being scattered because you are worried about the chores you still have to do. Or the routines you have been doing would remind you of how effective you are in exerting your willpower on the world around you.

But what I have been seeing more and more is that this algorithm of two questions is becoming more and more like an option, a tool I can use, when using Context AF4 (NOTE: Sorry I apparently made a mistake in the OP, where I named the inspiration of this algorithm as CAF2, instead of the correct name which is CAF4). In other words, "Small Acts of Courage" has become one of the possible contexts I can use in CAF4.

Here is a description of CAF4: http://markforster.squarespace.com/forum/post/2446303

Mark Forster,

OK, I'm gonna take a look at my copy of GED, thanks for the heads up!