Just because my sentimentality about objects has eroded over the years doesn’t mean there’s not a soft spot.  I just tend to reserve it for things with a heartbeat. Be it a filing system or a life, I live for a good transformation.

Michael Pollan’s home office, Berkeley, CA

I finally committed to reading Michael Pollan’s acclaimed book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma in January. It’s a disturbing, thorough, and downright fascinating exposé on the history and state of industrial food in the United States.

Since 2012 I’ve been compiling a year-end list of lessons learned that stand out.  I make a point to not review previous year’s posts when writing the current one, for fear that it will narrow my thinking.  When finished, I review past years’ posts.  This year I noticed some overlap.  Elements of #1 and #5 were planted before, but this time they re-emerged in finer detail, proving they are themes that continue to help evolve my work as an organizer.

This December I did something I’ve always meant to do, but never had.  Nic and I sat down and started listing out all of the wonderful things that happened this year.  What prompted it? What prompted it?  My defiant “2017 WAS the best year!” in response to a comment heard in our home expressing a different sentiment.

Why do we do anything?  In his famous TEDx talk Start With Why, Simon Sinek powerfully speaks to the fact that “what” never motivates us.  It’s always the “why.”  “Why” is what fuels us to do anything of importance.  Why have any of my hundreds of clients ventured into getting organized, sometimes in the face of inertia, resistance, or even dread?  What is it they all have in common (besides being out-of-sight-out-of-mind?) 

First off, I’ve met so many people who swear by their Franklin Covey planners.  This is NOT a criticism of the Covey planner.  I repeat, this is not a criticism of the Covey planner.  In fact, for many of my clients, hard copy lists and planners are the answer, and I actually dissuade them from attempting many digital solutions.