I’ve tried the sticky note thing too, and yeah, they just end up on the floor or stuck to my sock. I get the appeal of something you can’t ignore, though. For me, it’s all about visibility—if I don’t see it, it’s out of mind. I actually built a little corkboard into my mudroom wall when we remodeled. It’s not fancy, but it’s right by the door, so I literally have to look at my goals every time I leave the house. Kind of hard to pretend I forgot about them when they’re staring me down.
I like your cabinet door idea. That’s clever—keeps things private but still in your face every day. I guess it comes down to how much you want your goals “in your space.” Some folks need that constant reminder, others just want a nudge now and then.
I’ve never been much for digital reminders. Tried using my phone, but I just swipe away the notifications without thinking. Physical stuff works better for me—maybe it’s the builder in me, but if I can touch it or see it, it feels more real.
One thing I started doing is breaking bigger goals into smaller steps and pinning those up too. Makes it less overwhelming, and I get to check things off more often, which is weirdly satisfying. Not sure if that’s overkill or just being organized, but it keeps me moving.
Guess there’s no one-size-fits-all. Some people thrive on chaos and winging it, but I need a plan—or at least a board with some scribbles on it.
KEEPING TRACK OF GOALS: WRITING THEM DOWN OR JUST WINGING IT?
That corkboard idea’s smart—beats chasing sticky notes around the house, I’ll give you that. I’m with you on the digital reminders... they’re just too easy to ignore. I’ve tried apps, but if it’s not staring me in the face, it might as well not exist. Breaking things down into smaller steps makes sense, though. Ever find you spend more time organizing the goals than actually doing them? That’s my trap sometimes. But hey, whatever keeps the wheels turning, right?
KEEPING TRACK OF GOALS: WRITING THEM DOWN OR JUST WINGING IT?
I hear you on the digital reminders—half the time I swipe them away and forget what they were even for. For me, it’s gotta be physical, like a whiteboard in my workshop. There’s something about erasing a finished task that just feels right. But yeah, I’ve definitely fallen into the “planning the plan” trap before. Sometimes I spend more time sketching out timelines than actually picking up a hammer... but at least it keeps things from getting chaotic when projects pile up.
Totally get what you mean about “planning the plan”—I’ve wasted hours color-coding spreadsheets that never see the light of day. Physical lists work for me too, but sometimes I just scribble stuff on scrap paper and hope for the best. Digital reminders? Might as well not exist for me.
Physical lists work for me too, but sometimes I just scribble stuff on scrap paper and hope for the best. Digital reminders? Might as well not exist for me.
I feel this in my soul. I’ve got a stack of old paint swatch cards on my desk that are basically my “to-do” list graveyard—half-finished sketches on one side, random grocery items on the other. Every once in a while, I try to go digital (Trello, Notion, you name it), but after about a week it’s like my brain just refuses to check back in.
But I will say, there’s something weirdly satisfying about physically crossing things off a list. It’s almost like proof that I did something with my day... even if it was just “buy more coffee.” Planning the plan is fun until you realize you’ve spent more time making the list look pretty than actually doing anything on it. Maybe it’s just part of the process? Or maybe we’re all just procrastinating in style.