I tried to get a jump in this weekend but I got on the idea too late and thus couldn’t get on manifest. I turned around and decided to continue the purging and reformation of my office. I’ve fallen out of my [GTD](http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280/sr=8-1/qid=1161623271/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-5890739-0898562?ie=UTF8&s=books) swing and I needed to reinvest the time to get back on track.
I’m working my way back into the fervor. Using [kGTD](http://kinkless.com/) (Kinkless) and [3×5 note cards](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciordia/sets/1172352/ “Flickr pics of my note cards”). GTD is about getting it out of your head and in to places you trust. You must trust those resources or you will keep it in your head. I stopped trusting my places because I yearned for something yet undeveloped. During that pause I became again a chaortic person living through the brevity of things I could keep in my head. As we continue development however I realized I really needed to have GTD be a core methodology of my world so I could make sure development was going to do what it needed. Kind of a ‘like-duh’ moment. Again with kGTD, again with note cards, again it begins to take shape.
One thing I never really developed with my prior setups was the ‘Altitude Map’. I have a life-compass I look at for most of my decisions but I didn’t have a map (what pothole?). The compass makes sure I’m in the right direction (am I happy?), the map defines you. Definitions can be a scary thing, hence avoidance systems can try and stall this type of project. David Allen defines altitudes within 10k increments to 50k. From the runway to the top of the sky, what you see, how it is perceived, and how it guides/defines you should find harmony. If it doesn’t that’s a flag to do some serious soul searching and planning to put you in alignment. You can be happy in this world.
* 50,000 – Purpose
* 40,000 – Vision
* 30,000 – Goals & Objectives
* 20,000 – Focus & Responsibility
* 10,000 – Projects
* Runway – Next Actions
Getting friendly with 50k
In the last few months I’ve started to understand that I deeply care for culture. It is carried by the distant light of our forbearers to the creative fire of us each carving out our ways. Something that if not kept in scope I fear we end up losing to opportunists and greed. We need to celebrate our cultures, our traditions, our people, our purposes and move forward with these things in mind. I’ve never had such a position before but it rings in me and will guide me in my pursuits.
40,000 and looking good
Execute, execute, execute. It’s been said many many times of late that if you can’t execute a billion dollar idea isn’t worth spit. I’m going to work hard to execute anything I promise to. I see something I can stand on that is rock solid, a foundation, that will allow me the ability to launch from. No longer yolked by an oppressive force but free to be the entrepreneur. Opportunity knocks on many fronts and must be answered.
As I continue to fall through the layers I see how much is to be done but it’s not overwhelming. I feel like myself and my cadre have had much worse put to us in the past. This is just careful thought and thorough execution. We can do that. I can do that. The ground looms closer and next actions begin to stream by me until….flare flare flare… did I just walk that off? I did. (No pink elephants remember?!)
I like working with [David Allen’s](http://www.davidco.com/) model. It really is dead simple. If it has any complexity it is because we make it complex. I’ve about got some systems up that will keep me moving forward. I’ll let you know how they pan out after I trial them a bit. Least to say, keep it small, keep it simple, keep it up.
-a