Many people keep lists of goals, projects, and things to do. While these lists can certainly help you stay motivated, there’s a hidden problem with keeping too much on your “to do”list.

How does it make you feel to look at a long list of tasks, goals and projects? Do you feel empowered or do you feel overwhelmed? Your feelings are the first indication that you may be taking on too much or hanging onto dead weight.

The purpose of a goal list is to empower you and focus your energy on getting things done. If you look at it and feel tired and discouraged, then there is something wrong with the picture. The psychological letdown you experience when you realize how much work you have to do can be enough to make you want to avoid the important goals that you’ve written down.

You can’t grow if you’re holding onto tasks and goals that aren’t working for you. You will also have trouble achieving anything if you are stuck believing that you need to achieve every single thing you set out to do.If you hold onto everything, then you are stifling your own personal growth.

The truth is, some of what you have written down in the past is not as important as it once was. In order to feel a sense of completion, we often hold onto ideas that aren’t serving us well.It’s important to evaluate your priorities and get rid of the goals that have lost their importance.

If you don’t have a physical written list of things that you want to do or achieve, take some time to write down the things that you have been stressed about getting done. Once you complete the list evaluate it carefully. Is there anything that you can immediately let go of?

First, look for tasks that have passed their expiration date. Some goals or tasks are important for brief period of time and then they lose their priority. Sometimes situations resolve themselves without your involvement.Other times things fall through and can’t be done like you expected them to be. Go ahead and remove these items from the list.

Next, remove all of the tasks or goals that you have written down out of obligation to other people. It is one thing to be generous, but it’s another to give when it costs you stress or overwhelment. If you find that your goals are more about fulfilling other people’s expectations of you than about making yourself happy, you need new goals.Remove anything that issolely there because of obligations to someone else.

Now your list should be a little lighter of a load. Look at what’s left and ask yourself why each task is important. Does it fulfill a personal goal? A business goal? Is it vital to your personal growth? Is it something that you legally must do?

The answers don’t matter as long as you know why the item is there. If you look at something you have written down and don’t have a clear answer for why you feel obligated to do it, then you need to remove it, or at least move it to a “maybe” list.

Everything on your primary list must have a purpose within the guidelines outlined above.As you look over your trimmed down list, you will feel one of two things: you will either be totally refreshed, motivated, and ready to move on or you will be worried and stressed about the things that you removed.

If you end up in the second ategory, ask yourself what your attachment to those tasks or goals was. Did they represent security to you? Are you the type of person who doesn’t feel like you can give up on something?

You have to remember that clearing out the cobwebs of your life is not giving up – it’s about allowing room for growth. Think about a flower bed with beautiful plants and flowers. If there are too many plants shoved into the tiny bed, none of them have a chance to grow and mature. They are entrenched in a state of hibernation and never reach their potential.

You can only start to grow and develop in your business and in your life when you trim out the old and unnecessary tasks and goals. No new growth will develop if you are hanging onto the past goals that don’t serve you any longer. Trust that the future will bring more opportunities, trim down your list, and get ready to experience the growth that you have been looking for.

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