The Calibration Method has made it a lot easier for me to do the valuable things I want to do, and do them more consistently than with any other productivity plan I’ve attempted.

One key feature of the Calibration Method is to think about your longest-term goals, but get there by a series of day-to-day decisions. You decide what kind of person you want to become in the long run, but only plan the steps that you need to take today to move closer to that target.

Previously, I had a swarm of personal projects I wanted to tackle, and was overwhelmed by the constant, nagging feeling that I wasn’t choosing to do the best thing. When I was writing my novel, I wondered if I should practice computer programming instead. And when I was practicing computer programming, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should get out my sketchpad and practice drawing. But if I took out my sketchpad, I felt like I really ought to be writing my book. Usually, I’d just shut down and play a mindless video game instead, despite the accompanying feeling that I should be doing anything else!

I still have a long list of personal projects I’d like to get done, but thanks to the Calibration Method, they all fit within the long-term context of a lifetime of personal growth, learning, and skill development. From that reference point, some of those projects really aren’t as important today as others are. By taking on the role of the best possible version of me each morning and building the to-do list that the best possible version of me would prepare, I instantly cut through all of that second-guessing and effortlessly prioritize my tasks!

For me, this has been the most important benefit of using the Calibration Method: my to-do list now has so much clarity that I’m emboldened to tackle it each day. My mind is at ease, knowing that I’m working on the most valuable things I can work on today. And tomorrow, I’ll do the same thing all over again — but I won’t have to tackle that until tomorrow.