A few years ago, I found myself staring at my never-ending to-do list at 11 PM, wondering where the day had gone. I had been busy all day—jumping from one task to the next, checking emails, handling last-minute requests, and telling myself I was being productive.

But somehow, nothing important actually got done.

I thought, “If only I had a few more hours in the day.”

Spoiler: more time wouldn’t have helped. Because the real problem wasn’t the number of hours I had. It was how I was using them.

And if you’ve ever felt the same way—like your to-do list is running you instead of the other way around—keep reading.

For years, I believed that being productive meant doing more.

More tasks on my to-do list. More hours working. More hustle.

If I could just squeeze in a little more effort—wake up earlier, push through the exhaustion, multitask like a pro—then I’d finally feel on top of things, right?

Wrong.

You know I love me a perfectly planned day. Color-coded schedules, neatly time-blocked hours, the sheer satisfaction of knowing exactly what’s happening and when. What a dream.

But let’s be real—life doesn’t always care about my neatly mapped-out plans.

Discover how anti-goals—the powerful practice of defining what you don't want—can help you create a more intentional life in 2025. Learn this unconventional approach to goal-setting inspired by Charlie Munger.