With a Fair Wind

And some serious proofing, this will be available at the end of next week.

The Master List

Is one list, in one place of everything you must do and want to do: home and work, short-term and long-term.

Let’s explore each term.

It is just one list, not a separate work list and a separate home list; not a notebook and scattered Post-its. Not multiple apps. Why? Because fragmented lists do not provide the all-important overview and perspective you need to decide your priorities. (You must decide your priorities as you can do anything, but you can’t do everything.) Because any one of many lists might be overlooked when ‘the rubber hits the road’ and the distractions and stress build. Because it’s revealing that when that pressure does mount, it’s ‘work urgent’ that invariably gets addressed.

One list captures everything.

It is in one place. It could be a notebook. It might be a digital tool. It does not matter, if you trust it completely. If you’re not sure where to look, the system has failed. If you are not sure whether it is up to date, the system has failed.

It is everything. The big project. The small errand. The idea you want to explore. The book someone recommended. If it’s in your head, taking up space, it belongs on The Master List.

It is both home and work; you are one person and your ‘flight-deck’ should reflect that.

It is short and long-term: the urgent task due tomorrow sits alongside the dream project you will start next year. Both matter. Both need attention. The list holds both without judgment. Only you can decide which will get attention on any one day.

My Master List has been running for over 20 years; the notebooks have changed, the approach refined. But its goal is the same: an overview of everything to which I wish to give attention.

How do you use it? o Capture everything on it at any time, day or night. Work or play. For that reason, I prefer a paper notebook. It can be on my desk, in a vacation roller bag in a gym back-pack. It does not need electricity; it does not need wi-fi; it can’t ‘go down’. o Towards the end of the day, scan it and break down sizeable items into smaller ones so that everything is both brain (I can do that!) and time (20-minute chunks) friendly. Only your eyes and your brain can do that. o Then create your day list for tomorrow, bearing in mind pre-booked meetings and thus your true availability. o Tomorrow, work your day list!

Action: Start your master list today. Decide on a format and go capture; aim to have it complete within a week.

What is one of the greatest concerns today for most people?

Of course, it’s ‘Will AI take my job?‘

My view is that AI will take work, just as spreadsheets replaced ledger books, just as word processors made typing pools obsolete. And it will do this work extraordinarily well: faster, cheaper, and more accurately than humans ever could.

However, transitioning from tasks to relationships, here is what I believe AI cannot replicate: the human elements that truly matter in professional relationships.

Yes, people want speed, results, and reach. But they also need someone who: o Keeps promises when it’s inconvenient o Stays calm under pressure o Takes responsibility when things go wrong o Communicates with honesty and clarity o Shows up consistently, regardless of mood or circumstances

While AI handles the computational work, humans will increasingly be valued for character-driven competencies: leadership, integrity, emotional intelligence, and professionalism.

This is why an ‘Old School’ approach is not looking back; in a world where technical skills become commoditised, your character becomes your competitive advantage.

AI can draft the report, but it cannot look someone in the eye and take responsibility for the results. It can crunch the numbers, but it cannot inspire a demoralised team or navigate a difficult conversation with grace.

Old School is about building a future-proof professional identity that no algorithm can replace.

A Good Story is A Good Story

Michael Wade shares his thoughts on publishers and I 100% agree.

I remember when one big brand publisher said to me: ’I don’t care if this book is any good. I don’t care if they read it. I just want people to buy it in their thousands.’

Place book publishers just above estate agents but below used car sales people. Writers beware.

I cannot recall when I first heard the term ‘old school,’ but I soon realised it was the highest compliment.

Think of the colleague everyone trusts in a crisis: there on time, reliable, and quietly effective. When someone says, ‘That’s Sarah, she’s old school,’ they are naming a rare and valuable quality: dependable professionalism. I noticed it in certain teachers and then discovered individuals showing the trait while I was doing vacation work. I now knew who to seek out with my first jobs on the career ladder, and by the time I launched out on my own and became an entrepreneur, I learned to select my suppliers and clients based on this magic.

‘Old school’ means living by timeless principles. Who does not value punctuality or resourcefulness under pressure? These are never obsolete; they are the foundation of ease of working and ease of living.

Pilates’s Magician

now out in paperback. Go read it this weekend. I have read it and it’s five star excellent.

What Will You Read This Weekend?

You might start the Molly Trilogy.

Parts one and two are free for the next couple of days.

Go read a novel.