Good lines: on getting things done

    "A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without a vision is drudgery, a vision and a task is the hope of the world."

    An inscription (c. 1730) in a Sussex church, quoted in Getting Things Done: How to Achieve Stress-free Productivity by David Allen (which itself was recommended by the highly productive Natalie, and by Peter Jones in How to Do Everything and Be Happy).

Comments

[The Time Sculptor's Secret]

I love this quote... think I'll put it on post-it notes by my bedside table, on the toaster, on the computer screen, on the (car) dashboard and on the (blog) dashboard! Thanks for putting these wise words in my head. Jane Gray

[Cornflower]

I agree, Jane - wise words, and good to be reminded of them in all sorts of circumstances!

[Dark Puss]

I note that this famous "quote", which I have come across many times, is attributed to churches in various parts of England and also to a variety of dates (most common is 1730) between about 1640 and late C19! Does your book provide any evidence for the Sussex 1730 church origin?

Do tell me how to make tasks like vacuum cleaning, washing up, putting out the rubbish, mindless form filling because some bureaucrat deems it essential etc., can have visions attached. Other than the trivial "to make it clean" type of response. I think that using this type of quotation only works well when you have some influence over the task. Of course I fully support dreaming (awake or asleep) as a positive activity provided it doesn't become the main one.

Do let us know what you learn from these books and how you have put that into practice asI'd be very keen to benefit from your experiences.

Good luck!

[Jodie]

If this were Facebook I'd be liking all over that comment (which might sound horribly dirty to some, but I mean it well) ;)