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June 9, 2025

Getting Back to It

2 min read

It has been a bit since my last post and I am struggling to come up with a meaty topic. So, I’ll just share where I am and maybe it will resonate.

This weekend we celebrated our eldest son’s college graduation. It was a major milestone and his mom and I are beyond proud of him. We had a great “memory weekend” full of family, fun, and great food. I’m still riding high.

Now I’m back at my desk, coffee in hand, inbox glaring.

I’ve got so much this week that I am excited about: client work, the next podcast interview, a boot camp outline, my next webinar (with a cool partner!) and all of this is in the context of wanting to be present and enjoy the summer and time with my family.

Now it’s time to get organized. I start with my Big List. Five minutes, pen on paper, everything that’s rattling around gets a line. No judging, no sorting, just a total brain dump. I then prioritize them and get to work. Usually I do this on Sunday, but we were traveling yesterday. The list is long, but getting it out of my head and onto paper feels like a win.

I’ve tied Apple Reminders, ToDoist, Google Tasks, and other tools (miss you Evernote) anas well but always come back to some combination of Apple Notes and pen and paper. I wonder if Granola will evolve or get swallowed by ChatGPT, but that’s another blog post.

What do you use to organize and track your to-dos?

I love to try new things, so please share!

And, of course, have a great week.

FAQ

Q: What is the most common mistake CEOs make?

A: Confusing activity with progress. The best CEOs focus relentlessly on the few things that actually move the needle, not on being busy.

Q: How can executive coaching help startup founders?

A: A coach provides an outside perspective, helps you see blind spots, and creates accountability for the changes you know you need to make but keep putting off.

Q: What separates good CEOs from great ones?

A: Great CEOs create clarity, build trust, and make decisions with speed and conviction. They respond rather than react, and they invest in their own growth as leaders.