Christian Ross

100 things

Making “top ten” lists is all the rage these days. Magazine (print and web) articles, blog entries, Letterman, to-do lists, etc. You can find them on anything:

• Top 3 sushi joints within a 3 block radius of my house
• Top 10 countries I never knew existed
• Top 5,000,000 things I’d rather do than be forced into conversation with Tom Cruise

The only lists that I find myself making regularly are task lists of things I have to do for any given day/week/month. A new site I have come across recently, www.rememberthemilk.com, even helps me in the list creation but hasn’t yet formulated a way for me to get all of my tasks crossed off. Maybe someday.

Today, while eating my lunch and attempting to dwindle down my feeds (most of which I never read) I came across an article directed at freelancers talking about 80% of all business owners close shop within 5 years. The author’s take on it was that it is possible they have forgotten why they started their business in the first place. Money, while a factor, doesn’t have to be/shouldn’t be the only factor in stepping out on your own. His recommendation was to set down and write out the 100 things you would like to do/see/partake in/participate in/visit/etc and add to that list when a new thought arises.

I thought this was an interesting task and not only so for small business owners/freelancers of the world. What would your 100 things be? Could you come up with 100 right off the start? Would they all revolve around the money required to accomplish them?

I am thinking of starting my ‘100’ list soon. I might even publish it as I go.

Just add it to my to-do list.