Everyone maintains a to-do list in one form or another. In the day-to-day hustle and bustle, too often we fail to realize that the items we include on our to-do lists have a direct impact on our futures. The impact may be small on any given day, but the cumulative effect of executing and attempting to execute the tasks that make our lists, in the aggregate, add up to how quickly and how far we progress in our careers.

It behooves us to understand the importance of “stretching” ourselves. This means including items on our to-do lists that aren’t necessarily do-now, haven’t been requested by anybody, and in many instances represent longer-term projects that can be tackled only a bit at a time on a daily basis. This future portion of your to-do list might prove to be the most important, fundamental shift in how to approach your daily to-do list in the course of your career.

Suppose for a moment you get into that space where you are totally focused on where you want to be professionally or personally a few years out as opposed to where you are now. What projects, tasks, and activities would you be engaged in if you had achieved these loftier goals? Undoubtedly, your energy and efforts would be directed in at least slightly, if not dramatically, different ways than they are now. What you have envisioned for your future state of being, your commitment to it, and the way you apply yourself on a daily basis ultimately all add up to where you are heading and the speed at which you arrive.

So, despite the hustle and bustle and all that competes for your attention during the day, it makes sense to adopt the mindset and strategies of some of the most effective achievers within your own profession or industry. Despite all the current demands for their time, these people, I assure you, consistently have their eyes on a larger type of prize and find a way to make incremental progress regardless of the challenges they face.