To-Do Lists To Success!

Angie’s List represents the ultimate to-do list based on co-founder Angie Hick’s story. Angie had no idea she was embarking on an incredible entrepreneurship journey when she was a new college graduate. However, she was young, single, connected with a great mentor, and willing to work an extensive to-do list. This willingness meant working hard and making sacrifices.

Sometimes youth is the perfect platform or trait to launch a business. Starting businesses often involve considerable time and resources. It is in some cases much easier to invest a tremendous amount of time if you are single and without children. The invincibility that often accompanies youth can present one with a broad range of opportunity. Add in a great mentor, and voila you are positioned to create and work the ultimate to-do list.

For Angie Hicks that to-do list meant doing all of the initial work to grow the business. Her to-do list was not brimming with fresh and exciting duties, so she went door to door, answered phones, made lists, and worked like a human ‘google-er’. As a result, the company enjoyed success. However, seeking more, Angie left the company she co-founded to combat burnout by attending Harvard. Upon returning, Angie was offered a lower level position than her worth. Angie did not let the job title stand in her way. She did whatever was necessary to ensure Angie’s List was successful. The company she co-created was singularly important.

I have experienced people in various organizational settings who focus on job titles and promotions almost to the exclusion of focusing on the work. Their to-do list is more like a to-do-me list. I worked with someone who worked hard, but focused on her family more so than the job. Interestingly, when an opportunity for promotion came along this person believed they should have been promoted which did not happen. Anger ensued however, she never considered the fact that she was not willing to invest the time or make the sacrifices to achieve the success she wanted.

Taking a lesson from Angie Hicks, I think we can energize our work lives even if we are not starting a business. Prioritizing our to-do list on work is necessary. We may not like the sacrifices that must be made, but many entrepreneurs create extremely focused to-do lists to attain the success they desire. Thus, the to-do list to success can be lengthy, but as cliché as it may sound, the to-do list can “to-do” you to whatever success you deem meaningful … the list is in your hands.